


Tenses

by DeathByStorm



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Action, Adventure, Complete, M/M, Multichapter, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-10
Updated: 2011-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-14 15:42:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 44,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/150859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathByStorm/pseuds/DeathByStorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yugi became an Egyptologist because of his grandfather. It was never in his plans to be cast back in time, meet a thief with a grudge, or to help save the world. An AU of the Millennium World arc, Boundshipping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Stone Tablet

Sands stretched in every direction as far as the eye could see. To the east, the great Nile could be seen near the edge of the horizon, its channel creating a sharp, definitive line between land and sky. Sweat beaded on Yugi's forehead as he searched for any sign of a site yet undiscovered. He had wanted to be an Egyptologist since he was a small child. When his grandfather, a famous Egyptologist and game master, passed away, Yugi's future had been set in stone. Here among the Valley of the Dead was the only place that Yugi could really feel close to him. It was like his soul had come to rest here instead of in the grave back in Japan.

Today was the day. He glanced back at the team digging behind him. They had found a stone tablet in the remnants of a tiny village just outside of the valley. Yugi had taken a look at it just that morning. It was the first time that he had seen anything like it. There were carvings on it, molds really that looked as if they were meant to fit objects. Like any Egyptologist worth his salt, he too had heard of the tale of Pharaoh Atemu and how he had saved the world from a great evil three thousand years ago. In fact, his tomb was the one that Yugi and his expedition had set out to find. So far they hadn't even found an inkling as to where he could be buried.

Still, Yugi felt that something big was going to happen this very day. He felt as if his heart was tugging him towards the Valley of the Dead. As the day wore on, the feeling only grew stronger until he finally put the brush that he was using to aid in the removal of sand from the stone tablet. 

"I'm going for a walk," Yugi said.

The rest of his team did not even look up through the hiss of the brushes rasping against ancient sand and stone. He tilted his hat down a little more to help shield his face and set off. The feeling in his chest became stronger as he continued to walk. He continued until he was at the point where the dig had almost completely vanished into the distance.

Yugi glanced down at his feet. There was nothing special about the spot that he knew to be the location of what he sought. It was just a blank patch of sand, like countless others around it. He fell to his knees and began to dig with his bare hands. He could feel hot sand burn through his pants and scald his hands. Heedless of this, he continued his frenzied digging. Whatever it was, it was very important. He could feel the siren's song of rightness thrum through his body as he continued to scrape away at the sand.

More than an hour passed, with Yugi struggling to avoid allowing the sand to slide back down into the hole he had made. At last, his fingers scraped against something hard and cool. Quickly, he widened the hole to the best of his ability and ran his fingers around and underneath the edges of the stone tablet. Once he was sure that it would come loose without anymore damage to the tablet than what he had caused to it by unearthing it so carelessly, he gently lifted it up.

His jaw dropped open as the suns rays danced on the face of the tablet. It was covered in Egyptian hieroglyphs, but that was not what caught his attention. What caught his eye was the mixture of hirogana, katakana and kanji written underneath

'Yugi, you may not believe this, but the tomb that you are working to dig up is your own. I cannot tell you anymore than that, for it would ruin everything. - Yugi'

It was his own writing.

With trembling lips, he repeated the statement out loud as if it would prove it to be false and shivered as the air suddenly turned cold. A rumbling, akin to the sound of gigantic rocks ground together began. Yugi was gladdened that he was still on his knees when the ground began to shake. His fingers suddenly closed under empty air as the tablet became sand in his hands. A shadow passed over the sun as the ground underneath him stilled. Yugi glanced behind him and noticed that the hole that he had spent over an hour digging was gone.

"Grandpa was right about one thing. It is really easy to get heatstroke," Yugi muttered. He stood up and licked his cracked lips with a dried tongue. "I wish that I had thought to bring a bottle of water with me when I left the site."

So, with the thought of a fresh drink of water soothing his parched throat, he began the long trek back to the dig. The sun beat down on his shoulders as he glanced around at the strange surroundings. He knew this place better than the back of his hand, yet the other tombs looked newer, and whiter. There were tombs in places where they had never been found before. Yugi's vision swam as sweat began to drip into his eyes. He brushed it away again and wobbled on his feet. It was definitely heatstroke. He didn't know what else it could be. Yugi did know it had taken too long to trek out to where he thought he had been digging.

He only hoped that he was headed in the right direction.

Presently, two figures came into view. Or maybe it was four? Yugi squinted only to have his vision blur even more. Nevertheless, he stumbled towards them. Slowly four became two, and two became a white-haired man standing beside a horse. He gazed towards Yugi with an appraising eye, while running his fingers through the tangled mane of his horse.

Yugi came to a halt in front of him. "Please, you've got to help me. I'm lost."

The man's gaze towards him turned into a glare. "Why should I help you, when you look like so much like Pharaoh Atemu?"

"Pharaoh Atemu?" Yugi mumbled wondering why that was so important. "My team and I... we are looking for his tomb. No one knows what he looks like... I don't feel well..."

Darkness began to eat away at the edges of his vision. He dry heaved as a wave of nausea overcame him.

Distantly he felt a something grip his shoulder.

"What? What about Pharaoh Atemu?"

" ... tomb," Yugi said weakly and collapsed.


	2. Theft of Freedom

Bakura stared at the unconscious man sprawled at his feet. He had no pity for fools who were stupid enough to wander the desert at midday. However, he did have information on the man that he hated most.

"Maybe a close relative?" Bakura immediately dismissed the thought. The man looked similar to the Pharaoh when it came to his hair, but his height, build and skin colour were all wrong. Nevertheless, it was clear that this man may be the key to his victory. It would be wise to nurse him back to health and get the information out of him. Besides, if he was useless, he could always kill him later. "Perhaps a distant one then? I could definitely torment the Pharaoh with this one."

Bakura hauled him over his saddle and sprang into action. There was an oasis not far from where he had found the man. It would be a good place to revive him.

It took less than a quarter of an hour for him to arrive at his destination. Bakura hauled the man off of the horse, stripped him naked, and unceremoniously dropped him in the pool. The man merely let out a little moan but other than that didn't stir. Bakura snarled, and hit him open-handed across the face. The man let out another groan, louder this time. Bakura slapped him again.

Yugi felt something hit his face. He let out a groan and felt whatever it was hit him again.

"Wh-what?"

"How do you know Pharoah Atem?" The man with white hair snarled.

"What? I don't know him," Yugi frowned. The man raised his hand again. "Stop that! I'm awake now."

"I assume that you are not related to him at all then? Tch. You're useless to me," Bakura turned to walk away from him. He would just let the desert have the strange man. It didn't seem that he would know how to properly survive out here anyway.

"He's been dead for thousands of years! How could I possibly know him? My team and I were trying to find his tomb!"

Bakura stopped. "Your people are tombrobbers? Well I can tell you that the section of the Valley of the Kings belongs to the King of Thieves and you cannot trespass on those lands."

"No! I'm an Egyptologist!"

"What?"

"Egyptologist," Yugi snapped. "A lot of the culture of Egypt was lost, so we go looking for tombs and remains of villages and other artifacts to tell us about the history of ancient Egypt. Then we study them."

"Pharoah Atem is on the throne right now. You're dazed with heat."

"Then I am still dazed with heat! Didn't you see my team digging away at the site?"

"There was no one there. No one comes around there because it is my territory."

"I see," Yugi said shortly.

"What do you know of Pharaoh Atem?" Bakura figured that he wouldn't know anything worthwhile.

Yugi sighed. "Pharaoh Atem is one of the pharaohs that has been found recently to cover what we call the Big Gap. Their names were erased from family lines in many of the later tombs. We stumbled upon his story accidentally about eight months ago in a different tomb far from here. After that, I received sponsorship from the museum in Cairo to go looking for his final resting place. Of course things like this can take many years to actually find.

"It is said that Pharaoh Atem defeated a great evil and it became taboo to say his name, lest the evil return."

"Oh?" the man said. "You are ... intriguing and may be of further use. I shall not kill you for now."

"For now?" Yugi said blankly. "You're kidding... right?"

"Not really, no. And considering how unwelcoming the villagers are of people who look like you, you will either be stoned to death or executed for impersonating the pharaoh without my help. Tell me, what do they call you?"

"Yugi," Yugi replied weakly. "How about you?"

"I am known by many names. The Thief King is the most common. However, you may call me Bakura."

"Alright."

"You know for a foreigner, you speak pretty well," Bakura commented.

"Your Japanese is actually pretty good or at least it sounds like you are speaking Japanese," Yugi said. He hadn't really noticed that they were speaking the same language. It must have been the heatstroke. "That's strange."

"Hmm. We need to get you a horse. I will not have you lagging behind during raids."

"I'm going with you during raids?" Yugi all but squeaked.

"Yes. You are going to show me to the tomb that you found your information."

Yugi shook his head vigorously. "I don't know how to ride a horse."

"You are useless, aren't you? I will just have to show you how to ride a horse." Bakura's expression soured. "I will take you to town tonight and we shall steal a horse. For now, you can rest here."

Yugi nodded weakly. He didn't think that he was actually in the past. It was far more likely that Bakura had had a little too much sun of his own. A giggle bubbled past his lips. He knew he had had too much sun. His head felt like it was floating and his stomach was rolling despite the cool water.

\------

The sunset lit up the twilight sky, arms of light streaking over head. Yugi had almost completely recovered from the heatstroke and had fallen asleep from shear exhaustion.

Bakura lurked over him and sneered, before roughly shaking Yugi awake.

"W-what?" Yugi mumbled.

"It is time to go. Come with me."

Bakura led him over to the horse. He knelt down beside it and cupped his hands so to give Yugi a boost.

"Well?" he snapped when Yugi hesitated.

Yugi sighed and stepped up onto Bakura's hands and swung his short leg over the back of the horse. He gripped for reins that were not there to steady himself... and nearly fell off on the other side. Luckily his hands had twisted in the mane and he was able to pull himself up straight once more. His stomach dropped as the animal shifted beneath him. He felt so high up. He whipped around when he heard a snicker come from behind him.

"Pathetic," Bakura muttered under his breath. He placed his hands on the neck of the horse and lead him down the sand dune. Before they got to town Bakura had them stop off in what to Yugi seemed like the middle of nowhere.

"Stay here."

Yugi opened his mouth to protest. The horse shifted underneath him and then nudged hopefully at the ground in search of nonexistent grass to munch on.

"Weakling, he will not let you fall." Bakura said catching Yugi's nervous look. He turned and headed into town, leaving Yugi clinging onto the horse.

The thief began his journey towards town on foot. Not even once did he look back at the young man clinging desperately to his horse.

Yugi's eyes fell half closed and snapped open again. He fought off the yawn that threatened to overwhelm him and shivered. It never ceased to surprise him how cold the desert night really was. Overhead the sky was lit up with millions of stars. The sight of them took his breath away and nearly made him forget his exhaustion and the situation he was in.

Shouts and the sound of dogs barking in the distance brought him back to the present. Worry overtook him as he realised exactly how long Bakura had been gone for. What if he had been captured? Bakura had told him to stay in this spot and not move, but he was starting to doubt if that had been a really good idea. The voices got louder and he heard the thief cackle as shouts echoed in the distance.

Yugi frowned as the noise increased, but Bakura didn't appear over the sand dune. He tightened his grip on the horse's mane and held his breath as cheers went up in the distance. His friends had always told him that he had an awful habit of attracting or walking right into trouble and this time was no different. He had to go see if Bakura was alright. The man had been rude and only kept him around and alive because of what he knew about the Pharaoh, but the thief had also saved his life. Yugi had to save him.

Yugi had no illusions of how he would be on a horse.

He slipped off the horse's back. "Stay here." The horse ignored him and kept its head towards the ground searching in vain for something to graze on.

Yugi took off towards where the sounds were coming from. The deep sand slowed down his racing feet to the point where he was at a crawl. He reached the top of the dune and slid down the other side to the bottom of the trench in between the one that he had just come down and the next one, which towered above him. Gritting his teeth, he set up the next one. By the time that the village was in sight, he was covered in sand. He could feel it in his hair, his clothes and shoes and he even was spitting some from his mouth. He was, to some extent, used to it though it had never quite been this prevalent on his person.

The village was alight with torches. Yugi knew that that in itself was rather rare as wood was scarce when it came to the desert. Yet where was the electricity? He would expect that at least one of them would have a flashlight of some sort handy. Yet the only other light that fell upon the village was that of the moon above him. He could feel it in his bones. Bakura had been captured. He crept across the ground towards the nearest house. The Egyptologist part of him was amazed. These were not the houses that he had expected. These looked like they were actually from the time of the Pharaohs. Sure many modern Egyptians built their houses out of similar materials but the style itself was different. The sheer lack of any modern technology at all was telling as well.

He peered around the corner of the building and gasped. Bakura was running right towards him. Yugi could see by how the thief's eyes widened with surprise that he had not expected Yugi to pop out from behind a building. Bakura swerved around him and continued to run.

Yugi turned and stayed by the building. Bakura was faster than anyone he had seen on foot, quickly out stripping the angered men chasing him. By their clothing, Yugi could see that they were soldiers ... or at least they were dressed how Egyptian soldiers would have been three thousand years ago.

Yugi turned as he heard some whinnies and the pounding of hooves behind him. Bakura evidently heard them too for he increased his pace, heading towards where Yugi had left the horse. Yugi's heart sank. There was no way that he would ever make it there in time. It didn't stop the thief from trying though. And with Yugi out of the picture there was no problems holding him back from heading straight towards his horse.

Yugi winced as the soldiers bore down on him. One of them rode on ahead until he was in front of Bakura and cut him off. The soldier on the horse swung his sword down right in front of him. Bakura froze to stop it from sinking into his neck.

"That is the last time that you evade us, thief," the man growled.

Bakura smirked and opened his mouth to reply.

"Bakura!" Yugi shouted.

Bakura carefully turned his head towards where the cry had come from. Yugi had been captured. He nearly groaned out loud. It was official. This foreigner was definitely more trouble than he was worth and on his list of people to kill after the pharaoh. They were not that far from the capital by Bakura's reckoning. Only about half a day's walk away.

Most people hadn't heard of the Great Thief King Bakura yet. Bakura gritted his teeth. Being captured was not how he had wanted the civilians to hear about him. He wanted infamy to the point where people would quake in fear at the mere mention of his name! How could he do that if he was rotting in the dungeons at the pharaoh's palace awaiting trial? How was he to do that when, upon being convicted, he would lose a hand? Who could take someone like that seriously?

Bakura let out a low growl as two soldiers came forward and tied his hands together with a rope, and then two the horse of the man whose sword was still pointing towards him. Bakura mentally berated himself. He should have known that horse had targeted the area recently and that could have been done if he had only waited until the next day and scouted the village.

He stood still and silent with his head held high. He could hear some faint curses coming from the foreigner behind him as he was tied to the same rope that Bakura was. He chanced a glance back and noticed that the other man had his head bowed towards the ground

"Weakling," he muttered under his breath.

It wasn't like hanging his head had changed anything the day that that event had happened. The forging of the Millennium Items. He could see it in his mind then. The last cries of his village echoed in his ears and he shook his head slightly hoping to deafen them and turned his attention back to Yugi.

He watched Yugi hastily wipe his eyes in an attempt to hold the tears in.

Bakura turned back towards the soldier and stared straight ahead. There was no use dwelling on the past, except for revenge. One of the soldiers walking past him stopped. Bakura's head snapped sideways with the force of the blow.

"You have no reason to hold your head high, thief!" the man growled. "There is no pride or honour in what you have done."

Bakura glared right back at him, even as blood dripped down from his nose. "More honourable than yours, you sick fuck," he muttered under his breath. "Dia-"

This time something much heavier struck him. He blacked out.

Bakura choked as the rope around his neck jerked him forward. That was an interesting way to wake up. Yugi stumbled behind him before righting himself.

"Diabound!" Bakura hissed. There was no answer from within him. "Damn it!"

"Where are they taking us?" Yugi enquired from behind him.

"Probably to go see the pharaoh," Bakura replied. "You can experience first hand what hospitality a man like him has to offer to criminals like us."

"But I'm not - "

"You were the moment you called me by my first name back there," Bakura replied. "I am not well known among the common folk yet, but the palace guards have sure heard of me."

"I've never committed a crime," Yugi protested. "Surely he will listen to reason."

Bakura laughed darkly. "You have a lot to learn, Yugi," he replied. "The father of the man who now sits on that throne was the pharaoh that had my entire village razed to the ground just to create the Millennium Items."


	3. Offering and Salvation

"Millennium Items?"

"Seven solid gold objects with potent magical power. They were made from the blood of my village. I had to watch as a small child as my mother, my father ... everyone I knew was thrown in that pot."

"Gold?"

"They relied on an ancient spell," Bakura continued as if he hadn't heard him. "It turned the sacrifice of my village into the gold needed to create them. Kul Elena was the name of my village. If you go there today, the spirits will attack anyone that they see. Except me."

"You're the sole survivor then?" Yugi said.

"Yes," Bakura replied. "And as such. The responsibility sits with me to avenge my fallen people."

"I'll help you." The words were out of Yugi's mouth before he could even register what he had just said.

"What?"

"I'll help you," Yugi replied. Determination coloured his voice then.

"Heh. Don't make promises that you can't keep kid."

Yugi looked at him. "I don't."

"Everyone does," Bakura replied.

He tilted his head to look up at the sky, which was beginning to grow lighter with the promise of a new day. Yugi fixed eyes to the east the best he could and watched.

It was almost as if the whole world was waiting in anticipation for something wonderful to occur. All at once Ra began his break over the horizon. Yugi gasped in wonder as the warm, life giving rays of the Egyptian sun caressed his face. It made him feel a bit better about their situation. He hoped Bakura was wrong about the Pharaoh. There was a good chance that the new ruler was a kinder and more benevolent ruler.

By mid-morning Yugi's feet had begun to burn right through his shoes. It really had not been the best idea to wear the dark clothes that he so loved. Then again, how was he to know what would happen yesterday? It wasn't like he had exactly planned this trip.

He was beginning to feel exhausted. In light of what had happened the last twenty-four hours, it was to be expected. Yet, he couldn't help feeling a little giddy. After all, many of his colleagues would kill to be in his position. He glanced down at the rope that encircled his wrists. Well... maybe not exactly in his position; but somewhere in that time period would be good enough. He knew that the whole shock of everything hadn't hit him yet, but it was overwhelming to think that he was here in the past. It made him wonder: was he supposed to be here? Well the answer to that one was quite obvious. Yes, yes he was. After all, it was his writing on that stone tablet that he had found. And so far he had seen nothing but proof that he was actually about three thousand years in the past.

Bakura stumbled, then forced himself to his feet and kept going. He would not allow them the satisfaction of seeing him on his knees. The truth was that he was exhausted. He had not slept in more than two days and it was finally starting to wear him down. Another thing he could blame on the foreigner tied behind him. Oh he knew it wasn't Yugi's fault that he had been rescued by Bakura. It was really his own, but it felt nice to blame someone else for his own folly.

Bakura's vision swam as he continued on. He knew that he wouldn't be able to continue much longer. His legs trembled with every step and he could feel them weakening with every passing moment. He began to feel fuzzy and his mind felt as if it was hanging over a precipice. At the bottom of his mental cliff was the welcoming darkness that came with total oblivion. He blinked forcefully, but his vision was no longer clearing. Purple-black spots began to eat away at the edge of his vision. And at last he fell over the cliff's edge.

Yugi let out a yelp as Bakura collapsed in front of him. The soldier also stopped. Another soldier came up to him and got off his horse. He drew a knife and cut the rope between Yugi and Bakura. He then forcefully lead Yugi over to his horse and tied him behind it.

"Drag the other one! He'll wake up soon enough," one of the soldiers said.

The man on the horse which Bakura was tied to nodded with a twitch of his lips that Yugi knew held back an arrogant smile. He had seen it on Kaiba, his rival in duel monsters and second in the world often enough.

"I'll be glad to. This thief has caused enough problems for Egypt as it is."

They set off again with Yugi stumbling as the rope tugged on his wrists. He only stole a few glances at Bakura, who had still not woken up and grimaced when he did so. He now had no doubts that he was actually in the past.

Yugi himself was starting to falter when the castle finally came into sight. He felt his jaw drop. He knew that it had been made of limestone, but this! This was nothing like he had ever seen before. It was a gleaming white that stood out in a sharp contrast with the sky above it and the sands below. The Pharaoh resided inside of it and despite what Bakura had said about him and the situation, he looked forward to seeing the Pharaoh's Court for himself. There weren't that many records about it during this time, and the styles and traditions had changed much over the course of the millennia that the Pharaohs had ruled over Egypt.

There was a loud cough and Yugi glanced over. Bakura had just woken up and as he watched, stumbled to his feet. Yugi winced at the sight of blood dripping down the man's body and the patches of raw flesh where they originated from. There were scrapes and cuts all over his body. The thief glowered at him and turned away with his head held high not seeming to noticed the various lesions on his body.

The city around was the next thing that came into sight and was dwarfed by the palace towering over it. Yugi's eyes darted everywhere as he tried to drink in as much as he could of his surroundings. The whole place was full of life. Merchants called out their various wares and people milled about in the late morning sun. Beggars leaned against sunbaked buildings with their hands out and children laughed and played in the sand.

It was with bated breath – at least on Yugi's part – that they finally entered the palace. The entrance opened up into an awe inspiring hall. Enormous pillars lined the hall walls. Hieroglyphs lined the walls depicting the formation of Egypt and the unity of Upper Egypt with Lower Egypt.

Yugi's breath caught in his throat as he entered the Pharaoh's court room. Six priests stood in a half circle around the throne, but Yugi only gave them a passing glance as his eyes were drawn to the young man in the throne. Or, more precisely, the hair of the man in the throne. It was nearly identical to his own. That's where the similarities ended though as the young man's features were sharper than his own, lending him a noble look about the face that was almost as appealing as Bakura's wild one.

"Now I know why I'm under arrest for impersonating the Pharaoh," Yugi muttered under his breath.

"Shut up!"snapped his guard. Yugi nearly fell to his knees from the shock of the blow that was lain across his back. Yugi really did fall to his knees when the man behind him kicked the back of his legs. There was a thump and a muttered curse as Bakura was forced to kneel beside him.

The leader of the group of soldiers that had captured them came forward and fell to his knees before the Pharaoh. He leaned forward until his forehead nearly touched the ground as he waited to be given permission to speak.

"Rise and give me your report," Atem said.

"Right away, my Pharaoh," the man replied. "We were on a scouting party to one of the more remote villages about half a day from here when we happened upon these two. The white haired one is known to you as Bakura. He had been making quite a name for himself, desecrating the tombs of the honourable Pharaohs of the past, he has stolen food, horses and clothes as well as jewelry."

"The other one is clearly a foreigner. I have never seen him before, but he has been arrested for collaborating with a known criminal and for impersonating the Pharaoh."

"Those are very serious claims. Would the first accused please come forward?"

One of the soldiers shoved Bakura forward and knocked him to his knees.

"State your name," Atem said.

"Bakura. You will learn to fear it for I am the King of Thieves!" He let out a menacing and rather theatrical cackle. His eyes burrowed into those of the man on the throne. "And I have done all of which I have been accused and more!"

"I'll take that as a guilty plea. Bring the second accused forward," Atem said.

Yugi was hauled up, only to be puched forward and knocked to his knees.

"State your name," Atem said.

"Yugi Mutou."

"You have been accused of aiding an abetting a known criminal as well as impersonating the Pharaoh," Atem said blandly. "How do you plead?"

"I plead innocent on both charges," Yugi replied.

"Oh?"

"If you will, Great Pharaoh, I will tell you my story. I warn you now, you may not believe it."

"Go ahead."

"As you can see," Yugi paused to gesture to his clothes and skin colour. "I am not from around here. And until we were captured, I didn't know that I was also not from this time."

"I am from approximately three thousand years in the future. Your civilization and way of life has fallen long ago."

Now he had the attention of everyone in the room.

"Not to say that the country of Egypt does not exist, it does but not in the way that you would think. It is not the power that it is now. We know that this in part is because of invasions from Rome and Greece over one thousand years from now. And in part as well to the introduction of Christianity, a religion with only one God that has the largest following in the world. And we know that many ancient civilizations eventually fell as well in part to changing beliefs as well as because of new civilizations in the world arising.

"I myself am an Egyptologist from Japan. I study and look for clues on what happened to your people. The descendants still live there, but for whatever reason much of the knowledge is lost."

"We do have accurate records of much of the dynasties of the pharaohs with the exception of what is known as the Big Gap where three pharaohs reigned but they have been almost completely erased from history. We just happened on a tablet that contained your name."

"We set out on an expedition to find your tomb. After all we know nothing about what you did during your reign or anything. It's all been erased. I was the head of the expedition and had a funny feeling that I would find a clue about half a kilometre from where we were searching. I found another stone tablet, but instead of Egyptian hieroglyphs carved on it. I found a message carved in my native language. I read it out loud and I suddenly found myself in this time and with the ability to speak Egyptian."

Yugi went on to tell him about running into Bakura and how the thief had saved his life out in the desert. When he was done, the Pharaoh and his court were silent.

"And the reason for your hairstyle?"

"A complete fluke," Yugi admitted. "It's the way it grows naturally. Sometimes I think that it has a mind of its own."

"Shada, come forth with the Millennium Key and take a look into this one's mind."

"Yes, my Pharaoh."

The man with the large golden key stepped up to where Yugi was. He pointed the key directly at Yugi's forehead and turned. Yugi watched as the man's face grew slack as if he was in a trance. At the same time, he felt a niggling feeling in his mind as if someone was rummaging around in the part of his mind that held the pure essence of who he was.

Finally, he felt the intrusion remove itself. Yugi let out a sigh of relief.

"He is who he says he is, my Pharaoh and a good person overall. He is also an avid gamer and has latent shadow powers. There is no need to persecute this one, though I do recommend training him."

Shada went over to Bakura and did the same thing. Bakura glared and attempted to struggle away but the soldier behind him smacked him in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. Bakura was prevented from falling forward by two other soldiers, who held him up so that Shada could continue. Moments later he snapped out of his trance.

"This man also contains shadow powers, though he would use them for great evil."

"You do not know why. Ever heard of a little village called Kul Elena?" Bakura growled. He turned his head and looked straight at Akunadin. The old man's face paled. "You recognize the name, don't you, old man? And why shouldn't you? After all you were there on that night. You oversaw the death of my people."

"My Pharaoh, this man is trying to deceive you!"

Bakura turned to face Atem. "Of course you were but a child yourself when your father sent the order to destroy my village."

Bakura smirked as Atem's eyes widened. "Oh he didn't tell you about the forging of the Millennium Items? Let me give you a little hint. The flesh of ninety nine souls hangs around your neck. Each task you perform with them, you perform on the blood of my people."

"My Pharaoh!" Akunadin stepped forward. "This man speaks nothing but lies with his forked tongue. He is trying to deceive you! The ritual called for the sacrifice of goats, not people. Your father would have never allowed it."

"You are just trying to hide your own treachery!" Bakura sneered.

"I've heard enough," Atem cut off the rest of the argument. "Shada, do you see a monster in his soul?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh."

"Then have it removed," Atem looked over to the thief. "Normally I do not allow this, but since you have saved the life of a young man who shows the potential for the mastery of magic, a very rare thing in this realm, I will allow you to live out the rest of your days unharmed in the dungeons a short way from here."

"And to you, young Yugi, I offer you training in the field of shadow magic. You will have access to the library in the palace as well as the the library in Cairo. I am sure that you are anxious to find a way home."

"My Pharaoh," Yugi said. "Why do you wish to train me? If all goes according to plan, I will eventually go back to my own time."

"One does not question the will of the Living Horus," A young priest said icily, a golden rod clenched in his grasp.

Atem raised his hand to silence the man. "In this case I will allow it so that he understands. However, you are right Seto. Yugi, questioning the will of the Pharaoh is considered treason. Do it again, and I will at the very least have to expel you from my country.

"The reason why I am having you, a foreigner study magic here is that any magical power and especially shadow magic can harm the holder if left untrained too long which would endanger everyone."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Yugi said weakly.

"Take the thief away and remove the monster in his soul," Atem said. "Seto, have a servant prepare a room for our new student."

Seto turned to one of the servants waiting in the shadows. "Get a room ready for Yugi."

The servant hastily bowed and exited.

Bakura cursed loudly and Yugi turned in time to see the guards drag him away. "You're now on my to kill list, Yugi!"

Yugi winced. He didn't mean to betray Bakura. In fact, he hadn't betrayed him. But Bakura thought he had, and despite the short time that he had known the thief, it hurt. Even if Bakura had only helped him to further his plan to kill the Pharaoh, he had saved Yugi's life and he was indebted to him. Besides, something was odd. He could swear that that old man was a bit too vehement in defending the former Pharaoh, or he may not have been. Yugi wasn't too clear on what was and wasn't acceptable here. Besides, he had access to the library. Maybe he could find the spell that would have been responsible for what Bakura had said had happened to his village.

"Since that is over and done with, it is time for the midday meal," Atem declared. "Please, Yugi. Join us."

"Thank you my Pharaoh," Yugi said weakly.

It was late at night when Yugi finally collapsed onto the bed that had been prepared for him. He closed his eyes and leaned against the pillow, relishing the feeling of being in a real bed for the first time in months. If he ever got back to his own time, he would be sure to sleep in the one that was in the hotel room provided by his contractor Pegasus, instead of sleeping at the site. Well, except when they found something good. Tomb robbers were still active in Yugi's time. It's just that they would wait until the Egyptologists dug something good up and steal it from them. Bakura would be proud.

He lay flat on his back and cast his gaze around the candle lit room. It looked like the room of a scholar already. There was a basket for his clothes, a large window that had a balcony which gazed out over the capital. Of course there was also heavy linen curtains framing the window which he could pull closed if he wished. There was also a desk upon which he could use to write. It was lucky that Yugi had made sure to get himself taught how to read hieroglyphs. Though he suspected that he might have been able to read them from the moment that he arrived here whether he had had previous knowledge of them or not.

Yugi hoped that Bakura wasn't being treated too badly. He had heard about what goes on in prisons far abroad in the modern world and knew that it was a custom to torture prisoners for information. Though what sort of information Bakura might have, he didn't know. His eyelids began to feel heavy and seemed to fall closed of their own accord. Yugi gave himself over to the land of dreams.


	4. Chapter 3

The next morning, Yugi felt himself roused an hour before dawn by a servant with a candle held in her hand. He noticed that his clothes had been taken away and fresh clean ones had been lain by the foot of his bed. When had that happened?

"Do you need help dressing?" the young girl asked. "I know that some foreigners have troubles with our style of clothing."

"N-no thanks. I'm fine," Yugi assured with a smile. "I know how to put these on."

She bowed and scurried out of the room. He put on the tunic and vest as well as his own black shoes in lieu of the sandals that he had been given. He had never really liked anything besides the leather boots that he had worn when he was younger. Unfortunately, boots like those just weren't made for traipsing around in the desert.

"I look ridiculous," he murmured to himself.

There was a knock on the door and Yugi sighed. Why did he have to be up so early? After a few moments the door opened of its own accord and the brown-haired girl that had been standing beside priest Mahado the day before virtually bounced in.

"Good morning! I'm Mana," she chirped.

"Hi. My name is Yugi. And don't you mean good night? The moon's still out," Yugi stifled a yawn with the back of his hand.

"Nope! I definitely mean good morning. Come on or else we're going to be late!"

Mana grabbed him by the wrist and almost dragged him down the hall and up a couple of flights of stairs. All that lit the corridors at this time of day were the torches that lined the wall every couple of feet.

"Someone will come in about half an hour to put them out," Mana explained when she saw Yugi looking at them.

Yugi was almost out of breath by the time that she stopped. The castle seemed even larger today than it had the day before or maybe that was because there were few people up so early. His body was also still mostly asleep and moving sluggishly. He was distracted from his inner thoughts by the sound of Mana rapping her knuckles on the door in front of them.

Mahad pulled it open with a welcoming smile on his face.

"Good morning Mana, Yugi,"

"Hello, teacher," Mana practically sang as she bounced into the room.

Yugi shook his head and followed at a more sedate pace and then stopped just inside the door. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting the large room in an early morning glow. The ceiling arched high over his head and was depicted with the scenes of some battle staged in the not too distant past. There was little furniture around with only gigantic stone slabs with the depictions of monsters on them to keep the walls company. Directly across from him, Yugi could see another door.

Mana nudged him in the ribs. "Speechless aren't ya?"

Mahado merely smiled indulgently at her before turning to Yugi.

"Welcome, Yugi. I trust that you already know how to read our people's language?" Mahado said.

"Yes," Yugi said quietly. "I learned quite a while ago."

"I will test you to make sure."

"Alright."

"Mana, you shall begin practising the spell that I taught you yesterday."

"'Kay!" She mock saluted him and bounced off to the other end of the room.

Mahado laid his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Come with me. I need to speak with you."

Yugi gulped at the man's chilling tone and nodded. Mahado lead him across to the door, and opened it before quickly ushering Yugi inside.

Yugi's eyes widened as he took a quick glance around the room. Unlike the other rooms that he had been in so far, this one had a smaller window which cast a faint light on the clutter lining the walls. Mahado struck a match and set several candles alight.

It was obvious now that Yugi's earlier thoughts on this being a personal room was incorrect. There was dust on every surface and he couldn't help but sneeze as it was disturbed by their movements. Mahado pushed Yugi into the only chair in the room.

"The Pharaoh may trust you, but I don't," he said. "Your story is just a little too suspicious, what with you being found with Bakura of all people."

"It's true! Everything that I said is true!" Yugi protested.

"I know this. But my heart warns me that you may spell ruin for all of Egypt," Mahado replied.

"How could I do that?" Yugi frowned.

"I do not know, but know this. I will be watching you, Yugi Mutou and the moment that I even get a hint that you are going to harm this country or the Pharaoh with your actions, I will kill you myself." An aura of power began to emit from Mahado. Yugi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His whole body began to tense with fear without his command. This man, he felt, could kill him with the flick of his finger and not even be bothered by it.

"Do you understand?"

Yugi just shook.

Mahado gripped his shoulders and shook him. "I said, do you understand?"

"Y-Yes," Yugi croaked.

"Good."

Mahado let him go and stepped back. The dark aura vanished almost immediately from his person and he once again became the mild mannered priest that he had seen earlier.

"Now the second reason that I called you to this room, was as I said earlier, to test you." Mahado walked over to the wall and pulled one of the scrolls out from the bottom of the pile. He handed it to Yugi. "Read this out loud."

Yugi opened the scroll. "A long long time ago, when the lands were still divided into Upper and Lower Egypt, there lived a man that went by the name of Narmer and he was the king of Upper Egypt. No one knew it at the time, but he was to be the one to found the first dynasty of a united Egypt."

"You can stop there. I am confident in your ability to read the hieroglyphs."

"Do you know how valuable this information is to my time?" Yugi said in stunned amazement. "We have suspected that he was the founder of the first dynasty of Egypt, but it has been hotly contested that it was Menes that united Upper and Lower Egypt, or that Menes and Narmer were the same person or..."

"We have really lost much in your time, haven't we?" Mahado said.

Yugi sighed. "Great civilizations rise and fall constantly throughout history."

"I know. It is just bothersome when you mention my country falling from the glory that it is at now," Mahado said. "It means that somewhere along the lines, those who hold the Millennium Items failed to protect the Pharaoh and this land."

"I'm sorry. I won't mention it anymore. I just got a bit carried away."

"Thank you. However, it is rare to find one so passionate about the history of Egypt. I will allow you to have access to the historical portion of our great library. I'm afraid that I will have to keep you ignorant to the weapons that we use as well as our strategies and other technology. If you want a new scroll to study, you need only to ask myself and I will find one suitable."

Yugi's jaw dropped in amazement. He was only mildly disappointed that he would only get to see part of the library. Still, the opportunity to learn more about the history of his favourite country was not worth spitting at in the least. Yugi thought he could deal with Mahado's mistrust if he got to learn about that. "You'd really do that? This is... This is a dream come true!"

"I only ask that you try to get Mana interested. She's more interested in the practical applications of her education and none of the historical ones."

"I will try my best. May I borrow this scroll in the meantime?"

"Yes. You may pick it up after class."

"Thank you," Yugi said.

"You are most welcome. Since I have confirmed that you are able to read the hieroglyphs, it's time to see how well you write them."

"I have never tried to write them before," Yugi said.

"They are very important in the writing of spells. One simple line out of place is the difference between a successful spell and a disaster."

"I understand," Yugi replied.

His insides clenched up with dread at the thought of learning again how to write. As a child, he had been infamous among the teachers for his terrible hand writing and had had to stay after class on more than one occasion to improve it.

Mahado pulled out a clear papyrus scroll from another of the dusty stacks in the room before opening the door. "There is a table and chair at which you can sit at and work on your writing. If it is not up my standards when you are done, you will have to do it again until it is sufficient."

Yugi let out a low groan as he traipsed over to where the desk was against the wall. The thought of writing lines over and over again made him almost wish that he was back in his own time. Almost.

Yugi's wrist was aching by the time that they broke for lunch. He had written out the paper at least ten times, but each time Mahado had taken one look at it, and had quietly handed him a clean papyrus scroll.

...

Bakura glared down at the floor. Thanks to the position the guards had chained him to the wall, it was the only place he could really relax his neck. Around him, moans of those in pain mixed with those that had lost all hope. His arms had long gone numb from the position that they were in. His legs which were shackled to the wall were bent in such away that he was forced into a kneeling position. The chains were too short to even allow him to stand.

"And this is how the great and benevolent Pharaoh treats prisoners? One would wonder exactly how nice he is, judging by what his father did to my village and what he does to those that he dislikes."

"I'm afraid that you are a bit confused, thief." The door opened and Bakura looked up to see the shadows of two men. The taller of the two stepped forward, revealing the face of the high priest, Seto. "You see, he doesn't know what we are doing. He is new to the throne and very naive. He doesn't realise that to protect this kingdom one has to sacrifice the few to save the many."

A smirk graced Bakura's lips. "So you are betraying the Pharaoh because you think he doesn't know how to lead? I don't believe that. He must know about this."

"I am not betraying him!" Seto thundered. "I am helping him in an area he doesn't realise that he needs yet."

"Tch, if that makes you feel better, priest."

Seto's mouth thinned. "Undo his shackles and take him to the room. Pit him against the strongest monster that we have got, but don't let it kill him. From what Shada said, his Ka is already very powerful. It would be a shame to lose the beast."

The guard stepped forward and unlocked the shackles around Bakura's wrists and feet. They fell to the ground with a clatter and Bakura rubbed his wrists. The skin was raw and inflamed where the metal bands had rubbed against his skin. He didn't need to check his legs to know that they were in a similar state.

"On your feet," the guard said.

Bakura did as he was told without complaint and staggered to his feet. If they were going to do what Seto had said, he might have a chance to escape. The only reason that he hadn't been able to yet is because the priests had put a locking spell on his Ka so that he couldn't use it while they made a large enough slab to imprison it on. So he didn't protest at all when he was lead to down the halls and even deeper into the dungeons of the jail.

Seto opened the door and the guard shoved Bakura inside the room. Bakura couldn't help but stumble as his legs were still mostly numb from the position they had been forced into for so long. He picked himself up off the ground and glanced around the room.

There were platforms hanging on chains from the ceiling as well as many at his eye level, and far below. The only solid stone floor in the entire room was the small patch that he was standing on. His stomach dropped as he looked down into the black abyss below. He heard a door open and glanced to the other side of the room. A young man with a scowl on his face was also forced in.

Bakura waited with baited breath as Seto's voice echoed around the room. "You both know the rules. Anything goes as long as only one competitor leaves this arena alive."

Bakura let a predatory smirk touch his lips as he called for the Ka that rested in his soul. Diabound. On the other side of the room, the other man also called out his Ka. He might as well kill the man before he left. After all, he deserved a little harmless fun after what had happened in the last couple of days.

"For the second half of lessons today, we are going to begin focusing on the actual magical part of shadow magic," Mahado began. "First you will need to know how to meditate. In order to be able to use shadow magic and not get injured, a mage must be in one of two states of mind. The first is absolute calm. Shadow magic will not come as easily to you in this form. However, it will also prevent the shadows from gaining control over, and using you to their own ends, as they will do unless you have a very powerful will. Respecting them and using them when you are calm will save you a large amount of trouble in the future.

"The second way to utilise them is with an extreme emotion. Rage and hatred work well for this. The shadows will be very easy to call when you feel like this as they are naturally attracted to the darkness of the human heart. They however may also overwhelm you if you are in this condition and as I have already stated, do not possess enough willpower."

"Okay. So how do I meditate?" Yugi asked.

"To meditate, you may choose any position you want. You will probably do better at this exercise if you lie down or sit. All you have to do is clear your mind of all emotions. You can think as much as you want, but you must attach a certain amount of apathy to those thoughts. Every time a thought comes up and you associate an emotion with it, place a mental note on why this thought in particular makes you feel the way you do. Imagining that the emotion is being drained out of you through the floor is a technique that I also found useful.

"This is actually the hardest part of shadow magic that you will come across until you arrive at the most advanced stages of the discipline. For this exercise, I will be putting a magic lock around your shadow magic. It will only be released once you achieve the proper state of mind to be able to control the shadows without them overwhelming you."

Yugi glanced around the room and spotted a convenient looking corner. "Is there okay?"

"Yes, of course," Mahado replied.

Yugi plunked down into the corner and closed his eyes. He scanned his mind for anything that would rouse his feelings and landed on Bakura. Even though he knew the man would hate it, he couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him. Yugi couldn't imagine how he would have ended up if he had gone through something else. He took the emotion of pity and pushed it away from the image of Bakura.

Another emotion replaced it almost immediately. Gratitude. Again Yugi acknowledged it and pushed it away. Guilt for what had happened the day before to the thief. He sighed and pushed it away, though it took a bit longer than expected.

Yugi sank deeper into his mind. Images of his grandfather began to appear along with the feeling of grief. It had not been that long since his passing, and the man had raised Yugi as if he were his own son. Reluctantly, Yugi let go of those feelings to the best of his ability. He sank even deeper and had the vague sense that his mind, at least emotion wise was like a well so deep that he could barely comprehend the bottom. This was definitely going to take a lot longer than Yugi had hoped.


	5. Chapter 4

Bakura grinned as Diabound dodged his opponent's attack. The size of the other's monster was deceiving. It had the likeness to a gigantic caterpillar. The only things worth mentioning were its speed, and the poison that seemed to ooze out of every pore of its body. Yet Diabound, as always, was up to the challenge. Bakura watched with a smirk as his monster melted into the stone walls and travelled until it was below the caterpillar like creature.

He willed the creature to wait a few moments and glanced over to his opponent. Bakura felt the near constant smirk on his face grow and become manic. The other man was shaking with terror. And that was how it should be, Bakura reasoned with himself. He would not rest until everyone in Egypt spoke his name with a mixture of awe and fear.

"Now!"

Ever faithful, Diabound erupted from the stone below the other Ka. Bakura vaguely heard the other man scream as Diabound crushed his Ka to a pulp. The man collapsed to the ground. Bakura smiled in satisfaction, his thirst for death temporarily quenched. He called Diabound over to him. The monster wrapped its tail around him.

He cackled. "You will remember this as the day that you were graced with the presence of the mighty Thief King. Diabound, take us back to the oasis."

The monster surged upwards in compliance and absorbed into the wall. Almost immediately there was a large humming noise followed by blue sparks arching over the duelling room. Bakura and Diabound were forcefully thrown back onto the floor near the exit.

Seto smirked. "I told you that you could not escape, 'Thief King'."

Mercifully for Bakura, he was not conscious to hear this. In fact, he would not regain any awareness of his surroundings until about an hour after he had been thrown back into his cell.

"Shada, we must adjust that spell. It wasn't supposed to do that. He almost got through and then where would we have been?" Seto said. "Come down here at around the same time tomorrow. We shall strengthen the barrier around the room."

Shada just nodded.

Yugi found himself again almost collapsing into bed in exhaustion by the end of the night. He glanced around and noticed that the few things that he had dropped on the floor since he had come here had been picked up and that his old clothes were lying on the bed clean and folded at the edge of the bed. The man just pushed them to the floor again, too tired to bother placing them elsewhere.

And so it began. Every morning Yugi would rise at dawn and draw a bath for himself. Then he would wander back to his room where one of the two sets of Egyptian clothes that he owned would be lying on his bed clean and ready to use.

After breakfast he would spend the rest of the morning working on his writing abilities while Mana worked on magic. Then, in the afternoons they would switch. Mana would work on her writing while Yugi worked on clearing his mind. It had seemed to be taking forever to separate emotions from his memories, but Mahado had assured him that he was working at a normal pace for that.

He constantly thought of Bakura and felt bad when he thought of where the man was now. Here Yugi was, surrounded by all this knowledge and a brilliant teacher (even if said brilliant teacher seemed to dislike him on a personal level) to allow him to harness his gift in order to do some good with it, while Bakura rotted away in prison. It really wasn't fair as despite his reasons, Bakura had shown the ability to be kind even if it only suited his own means.

A month passed in the blink of an eye and Yugi found himself becoming very sick of meditating. Sure it had been interesting as well as mildly distressing at first, but Yugi had never been the most studious of students and now he was finally getting bored.

So when Mahado let them go that evening, Yugi did not head down to have supper with the rest of the priests as was per usual with him and Mana. Instead he trudged his way down to the entrance hall of the palace. They had never found a palace where Yugi lived now in his time. He was almost certain of it and yet it was one of the most beautiful places that he had ever seen.

No matter where he looked there were tropical plants from the south. The air was heavy with the scent of flowers and vegetation. He took a deep breath and exhaled, the fumes making him light-headed. They reminded him that he was not from this time. One would not see such blatant luxury in the future for the Pharaoh. For the first time since he had arrived, he felt a little homesickness curl up inside of him.

Yugi sighed, allowing his feet to take him where they willed. The guards barely paid him any attention as he passed, as they had been told that he was one of Mahado's two students. His feet took him down the path towards the city that the palace lay in the centre of. He ended up only skirting the main part of the city and heading in the direction he knew that the prison lay.

His heart raced with hope as he approached the prison gates, and then his hope drained out of him when he saw the guards along the walls of the building and the few that were stationed outside the prison gates. Yugi sighed. He should have known better than to think that such a place would not have guards and that such guards were most likely not going to allow him to visit Bakura.

Yugi ended up turning around to go back to the palace. Thankfully, the prison guards would not recognize him as more than a shadowy figure on a dune. He had stopped before he had come close enough for that. He sighed in relief. It would have been a disaster if he had gone up to the gates and just asked to enter. The Pharaoh would have known pretty quickly along with Seto.

Yugi didn't like the high priest that much. There was something about him that made Yugi want to avoid contact with him altogether. Either that, or challenge him to a game.

Yugi bit his lip as he made his way back through the gardens. What if Bakura thought that he had abandoned him? Of course, he had done nothing to stop him from being thrown in prison and he had not even seen him for a little over a month. Not that he was overly eager to visit him or anything.

He would have to work harder on his studies, and start taking a more active look at the magic that he was supposed to be learning. There was probably a solution that could be found in his area of study right now. If only he knew what it was. Being invisible would be best, but he didn't know if he could do that with his shadow magic yet.

As an exercise before falling asleep, Yugi meditated. But thanks to his troubled mind, he was unable to relax at all. He actually spent most of the night wide awake and staring at the ceiling. It was very unusual to be awake during the night for him. He had always preferred to sleep for as long as possible and that involved falling asleep almost right away.

As with every morning, Yugi woke to the sound of pounding on his door. He groaned and flopped over trying to get a few more minutes of sleep. And as with every morning, Mana eventually came and dragged him out of bed anyway.

"Come on! We're going to be late!" she exclaimed impatiently from out in the hall.

"I'm coming," Yugi called back as he struggled to swiftly put on the clothing. "And stay outside this time! It reminds me of last week when I was changing and you just strolled in."

"I'm sorry, Yugi! You know that was an accident."

"Accident or not, be sure that I am going to milk it for all that it's worth."

"You just wait until I have something on you! Then you'll be sorry!"

"Why are you so impatient anyway?" Yugi asked.

"I have a feeling that something wonderful is going to happen today," Mana replied seriously. "I just feel that we should be there to see it."

Yugi sighed. "Well, let's get moving then. Can I at least have breakfast?"

"Absolutely not!"

They had to wait for awhile until Mahado came in from breakfast. At the thought of food, Yugi's stomach began to growl and he tried his best to push the thought into the back of his mind. He cursed Mana in his head as he automatically headed towards the desk. Once there he just lay on the cool wooden surface and sighed. He was so sick of this.

Yugi fidgeted slightly in his usual meditation corner before getting comfortable. He let himself fall back into his mind once more. Almost unbidden, the images that he had buried deep in his subconscious began to rise to the surface. He jumped in surprise as Bakura appeared once again. This was odd. A deep affection was associated with this one and Yugi frowned before he banished it away. His friends back home were even deeper, and the last rung on the mental ladder that he had just found himself to be climbing.

Quickly, he banished the emotions associated with them, burying them deeper in another part of his mind as he had been instructed. Below him, a black and purple ball of energy sizzled below him. As he watched, shots of energy licked up from the ball like solar flares and caressed his face gently. Unlike solar flares though, these flames were cool to the touch and sent a hum down his mental body as well as his physical.

Yugi felt himself drawn towards it. He reached down with his hand and one of the nearby flares encircled his wrist. It tugged sharply once and Yugi felt his hands slip off of the rung that he had been hanging on to. He fell, face forward, and his body submerged itself into the ball of light. Electricity coursed itself through his body as the ball of shadow magic disintegrated. It then shot up and out of the well in a glowing array of fireworks. Yugi touched his head as he felt it settle into all parts of his body and mind.

"Good job, Yugi." Came a voice from above him.

Yugi's eyes snapped open to meet Mahado's smiling face. Yugi had noticed over the last few weeks that while Mahado didn't like him personally, his willingness to learn ended up making the man act friendlier towards him anyway. At these times Mahado distinctly reminded him of many of the professors that he'd had while in university. Many of them were quite the same if one of their students showed more than a casual interest in their subject.

"You are free to go for today. You will need your rest in order to adjust to the change of the distribution of Shadow Magic in your body."

It was only then that Yugi realised that Mana wasn't in the room at all. Night had already fallen some hours ago. The chamber that they were in was lit by the flickering of torches. Despite the shadow magic buzzing under his skin, Yugi felt exhausted. His eyes tried to fall closed of their own accord. He fought the waves of warm sleepiness that seemed to envelope his body, even though he knew that this was an uncomfortable place to do so.

When he fell into bed that night, Yugi didn't even feel his head hit the pillow.

Bakura cackled as his latest opponent hit the ground. Diabound had grown larger and larger as his list of defeated monsters grew ever longer. He had found so far that he couldn't escape with Diabound's tricks as per usual. A fact that invoked his ire whenever he thought of it. This had been the only place that he could not leave of his own free will since he had started stealing to make ends meet after his village was destroyed.

The only reason that he could think of for the High Priest doing this was that history was beginning to repeat itself. Perhaps it was not the exact same way as it had been in his village, but people were still being sacrificed merely society didn't like them. For this reason, Bakura's laughter always had a bitter tinge to it. It felt so anticlimactic to win, when he knew that he was only helping the priests when he fought and Diabound grew larger.

Bakura had a pretty good idea what was happening to the most powerful players of these matches. He had heard whispers from those near his own cell. It seemed as if when the monster of a man became powerful enough, he was taken by Seto and Shada. Bakura had even seen it happen a couple of times to other men in the cells in his vicinity.

He could always tell when he would never see the men or women again. It was the only time that the priests came without guards. Bakura had a feeling that they were not supposed to be doing what they were then. He wondered if the 'Pharaoh' knew, but quickly and repetitively crushed that thought. There was no way that the Pharaoh didn't know. The familiar black hate welled up inside him every time that he saw the men coming down the hall.

Bakura just wanted to send Diabound after them and then create some chaos of his own. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried that already, releasing the monster that lay inside him the moment he was out of his cell, but there was some kind of block that stopped him from doing so in any part of the hallway towards the duelling room. It frustrated him to no end.

Bakura wouldn't admit it out loud, but the thought struck fear into this heart. Those priests now held his life in their hands. The only question was why hadn't they killed him yet? Was there something that specifically signalled to them that a man's Ka was ripe for the picking?

So Bakura began to watch as closely as he could to the matches that he duelled in, and the occasional match that he would see when waiting to fight. Slowly, slowly he began to gather shards of evidence. As far as he could tell, it wasn't a set match limit or a set schedule by how long the particular prisoner had been there. Nor was it even necessarily because a certain Ka was more powerful than the rest. It had confused Bakura at first, why both weak and strong were taken away, but gradually he had figured out what was going on. There was a cap on the amount of power that one's Ka could gain before it would level off and just stay at the same strength. And that was when the priests would take them. That was how they were able to tell.

Mahado paced the room as he began to explain the next step in Yugi's education. "Now that you have mastered the ability to reach your shadow magic at will, you will next learn to summon the shadows outside of your body. You'll find this to be one of the easiest skills that you'll ever learn in this discipline. You've been able to feel the shadow magic under your skin since your last lesson."

Yugi nodded.

"You will continue feeling it as long as you keep your emotions separate from your thoughts," Mahado explained. "All you must do for this exercise is concentrate on pushing the magic out of your body and onto your skin. This will allow you to blend in with shadows."

"The only reason that I am teaching you this is because it is the best way to learn how to use shadow magic with a measure of control. I can tell you now that this will be the only spell of this nature that you will be learning and no, it will not fool another Shadow Mage..."

Yugi was only listening with half an ear at this point as his rising excitement quickly overwhelmed his interest in actually learning the spell. He would be able to visit Bakura without the guards seeing! He nearly danced with joy.

A faint part of him wondered why he was so obsessed with seeing the thief again, but it was subsequently ignored by the rest of his consciousness.

"Concentrate, Yugi," Mahado said. Yugi snapped out of his thoughts. "Good. Now close your eyes and try to push the shadows out of one of your hands."

Yugi closed his eyes. The faint tingling feeling of the shadows underneath his skin was still there. He imagined pushing the feeling out onto his hands and jumped when said extremity suddenly felt very cold. Slowly he opened his left eye a little. Where his hand had been, there was now a swirling of purple and black shadows. Yugi glanced around and stepped out of the sun of the room into the shade.

He couldn't help but let out a yelp of surprise as his hand disappeared.

"Another reason that this is considered one of the easiest spells to learn is that it takes no conscious effort to maintain," Mahado said.

"I see," Yugi continued to stare numbly at his invisible hand.

"Try your whole body."

Yugi tried it again, this time pushing the shadow magic within to lie on top of his skin. He glanced down and watched his whole body disappear from view.

"A shadow mage is almost at his most vulnerable in this state," Mahado said. "You do not have the knowledge to defend yourself with the shadows yet, but if you did, you would find yourself unable to use the simplest of spells. This is because this is also one of the most uncontrolled ways to use shadow magic. When you layer your skin with your shadows, you are placing the entirety of your magical core, on the surface of your body. If another shadow mage detects you like this, there is a simple spell that they can do that will force the shadows to stay on the surface of your skin. This will leave you utterly defenceless to any sort of magical attack."

At the same time as the night before, Yugi slipped out of his room. He had tested it earlier to make sure, and the spell had been effective in the same way as if he had been standing in a shadow in broad daylight. With this in mind, Yugi wandered through the garden that lined the palace walls. The guards allowed him out and as soon as he was out of their eyesight, he applied the spell.

Immediately, he found himself encased in a cloak of darkness. He slipped past the guards with ease and headed down the stairwell. As Yugi hit the first landing, his entire world fell into darkness. He lifted the torch that he had brought with him from the palace to its brother which was just hanging on the wall.

"Bakura?" Yugi called softly and then winced as his voice echoed off of the walls.

There was no answer, only the vaguely unnerving feeling that he was being watched. Yugi felt a shiver crawl down his spine as the temperature began to drop.

The walls were lined with doors that appeared every six feet or so. The stench of unwashed bodies mixed with the aura of misery that hung in the air like smoke.

"Bakura?" Yugi whispered.

A harsh laugh was let out suddenly from the cell to his right.

"There ain't no Bakura in here, though I have heard of the bugger."

"Sorry?" Yugi whispered.

"You'll find him down in the lowest dungeons along with the rest of those that they are rounding up."

"Rounding up for what?" Yugi asked.

"I don't know," the man stayed in the darkness of his cell as Yugi stood on his tip toes to see who was talking to him. "All I know is that they are rounding both innocent and guilty alike, those two priests. You see them go down, and tablets and dead bodies come up. I would warn you against going down there."

"My friend's down there though. I have to make sure that he's okay," Yugi said. "Thank you."

"All I ask in return is that you tell someone what is going on here. The Pharaoh should not be able to get away with this."

"I promise," Yugi replied. And he meant it. There was something strange going on. He had had a bad feeling for awhile now as he often left to go visit the neighbouring city at night. There was a similar aura of despair that hung over the populace there and guards everywhere. Yugi had even seen them taking people away himself, though he had at the time thought that those people were criminals.

He began to walk away.

"Hey kid."

Yugi turned.

"You might want to snuff out that little match of yours. The guards do regular patrols here."

Yugi stopped. "I'll keep that in mind."

He found the staircase again and continued down, uninterrupted until he reached the very bottom. Unlike the floors above, there were fewer cells down here. Only about twenty in all.

"Bakura?" he whispered.

"Over here."

Yugi headed over to the door that he had heard the sound emit from and stopped right in front of it. An hand shot out and gripped Yugi's neckwith a bruising force. Yugi choked and his vision swam as he was dragged up to the point where his nose touched the bars. His eyes slowly rose from the arm that was holding him up to the manic grey eyes in front of him.

"When I get out of here, I am going to kill you," Bakura hissed.

Yugi's vision swam as he struggled to breathe. The thief dropped him and Yugi fell to his knees gasping for air.

"I wish I had left you to die in the desert,"

Yugi pulled himself to his feet and limped away. As he exited the prison under the guise of shadow magic, he wondered why Bakura hadn't killed him there and then. It wasn't like he hadn't had the opportunity to.


	6. Chapter 5

Yugi walked back to the castle cursing himself silently all of the way. He couldn't believe that he had been so naive as to think that Bakura would want to talk to him anyway. However, Yugi also couldn't deny that something strange was going on here. From what he got from the strange prisoner on the first floor was that whatever was going on wasn't a regular execution. It made him worry for Bakura even though the man had threatened his life.

Yugi flopped on to his bed with a sigh. He also knew that he couldn't even say anything about it, because he would risk getting in trouble himself. All he could do was keep his eyes open to learn more new information.

It would be a few weeks before he found anything and when he did, it would come as a major surprise.

"Yugi, you and Mana will be coming with me today to witness a shadow duel," Mahado said.

"Yay!" Mana cheered. "It's been awhile since I've seen one of those."

"Shadow duel?" Yugi asked.

"You will see when you get there," Mahado replied. "This is something that you have to see to fully appreciate. The duel will take place between myself and Priest Seto."

Yugi felt anticipation and nervousness rise in his gut as they headed, to his surprise down to the throne room. He'd thought that somewhere else would be more appropriate. They would be duelling with Shadow Magic, that much was understandable, but how? Yugi had only learned non combative techniques so far. His insides couldn't help but burn with curiosity.

They entered the hall to find Pharaoh Atem on the throne as well. All of the other priests save Seto were standing to either side of him. Seto regarded them coolly from across the room. He was standing on a platform with his arms crossed. The item that looked like a small sceptre was in his grip. It was called the Millennium Rod if Yugi remembered right. The priest gazed towards them with a look of challenge in his eyes.

Mahado stepped over to the side where a man handed him a golden wrist gauntlet. Mahado flexed his arm and three leaves made of gold swept out in a shape that vaguely reminded Yugi of his own duel disk back home.

He glanced over to Seto in time to watch him do the same.

"DUEL!" Yugi jumped.

"I summon the Celtic Guardian," Seto's voice echoed in the room and he lifted his hand with the golden duel disk until it was pointed to the sky. A golden light flashed briefly before striking one of the gold leaves.

"I summon Hammer head," Mahado replied.

"Where do the monsters come from?" Yugi asked.

"Mahado showed me where they came from. There's a temple not far from here that houses them in stone tablets. Only those with Millennium Items or very strong shadow magic and an imperial command from the Pharaoh can summon them," Mana whispered to him.

"Ah." Yugi's heart sank. It was apparent then that the Pharaoh indeed knew what was going on with the prisoners. That meant that Bakura was correct and that the Pharaoh and his priests were rather corrupt. "Where do they come from?"

"There are two places that monsters come from," Mana leaned closer to his ear looking serious. "One is from the Shadow Realm and the second is if your soul itself creates a monster."

"What?"

"Someone who has a strong will also has the ability to create a monster that is good or evil. You can help those that commit crimes to do good by removing theirs. Atem does preside over public trials that do that every day."

"Public trials?" Yugi asked.

"Remember when you were brought here?"

"How could I forget?"

"What they did was a trial."

"Right," Yugi said weakly.

...

Yugi sneaked out as soon as he could that night and headed towards the prison. He had not been there since the last time when Bakura had choked him. Yugi didn't know why he was really bothering to go back. It wasn't like the thief would listen to anything that he said. The man wanted to kill him. He made his way as silently as possible down the hall to Bakura's cell.

"Bakura!"

"What do you want?" came the snarled response.

"Do you think that the Pharaoh knows what is going on?" Yugi asked.

"Yes. He will pay dearly for this. Now go away."

"I think that he doesn't," Yugi continued. "I think I know what they are doing with you and the others down here now. They are trying to strengthen your Ka as much as possible in order to extract it. But according to my friend, they usually do this only take the monsters of people who have committed crimes and have had a trial."

Bakura finally stood up and approached the door. "You're wrong," he snarled. "What makes you think that that is not only for show? They are rounding up people off the street, you idiot. Publicly! He is not unaware."

Yugi closed his mouth. "You're right. And for what it's worth, I am sorry and I will try my best to get you out."

"I'm not going to count on it." Yugi ignored the reply and left.

Yugi headed back to the palace and wandered around the garden. He didn't know what to think. Was it possible that the government was that corrupt? Yugi knew for a fact that Mahado wasn't in on the plot if it was done without the Pharaoh's position. Heck, the priest still disliked him and only talked to him when he was teaching. Yugi had been there for a couple of months already and if anything, the lack of treasonous actions on his part had made Mahado even more suspicious.

"I didn't expect to see you out here so late."

Yugi let out a high pitched shriek of surprise and whirled around. Atem stood behind him with a kind smile on his face.

"My Pharaoh!" Yugi's voice shook. He desperately wondered if Atem had known what he had been up to.

"So what are you doing out here?" Atem asked.

"I go out for a walk every evening for bedtime. Sometimes it's around the gardens and sometimes it's near the outskirts of town.

"You've never been bothered by the civilians before?"

"Once or twice, but no more than that," Yugi replied. An awkward silence fell upon them. "So. Do you come out here often?"

"Only when I have trouble sleeping."

Atem found a bench by one of the fountains in the garden and sat down. He beckoned to Yugi, indicating that he should sit down beside him. Feeling highly uncomfortable, but not wanting to offend, Yugi gingerly sat beside him. Atem sighed and raised his head to stare at the stars. Yugi did the same thing. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the trillions of stars all twinkling back at them.

"Are you enjoying your time here?" Yugi jumped.

"Ah, yes, I am. I do miss home though," he said.

"What was it like there?"

"Hmm... colder and wetter than here mostly. We have the four seasons instead of just the rainy season and the dry season like you see here. My favourite is probably spring. It's not too hot and not too cold. There is just the sakura tree blossoms, and the scent of flowers everywhere. My friends and I also used to go to the beach every summer." Yugi said.

"And your family?"

Yugi hesitated, but didn't see any problem with telling him. "My father left when I was really young. My mother and I lived with my grandfather. He was a retired archaeologist. A very famous one, actually. We helped him run his game shop. Grandpa's the reason that I became an archaeologist as well. He really... did have a passion for the history. And games of course. What about your family?"

"I guess you wouldn't know anything about them," Atem said. "Well, the only person left besides me is my uncle. He is the priest with the Eye. My mother died in childbirth and my father died when I was fourteen."

"That must have been hard," Yugi replied.

"Yes, it was. I am lucky to have good advisers to help me through the last couple of years," Atem replied. "Has your nation been to war in your lifetime?"

Yugi shook his head. "No we've been relatively peaceful since the last world war."

"A time where the whole world was at war?"

"Well, most of the world," Yugi amended.

"Egypt was as well?" Atem asked.

"Egypt was officially neutral for the majority of the war," Yugi vaguely replied. "That's all I really remember about it at that time from school."

"I see."

"Why do you ask?"

"In a situation like this, I will not lie to you, Yugi. Many of our citizens have figured it out as well. War is brewing. There have been raids in many of the villages very close to the borders of this land. I'd hoped that you would aid us in this endeavour."

"Are you sure?" Yugi said. "I am just a foreigner. I know that I have been allowed to learn shadow magic because of you, but what makes you think that I could help you? I've never even seen a war."

"Neither have I," Atem replied. "I have been trained as all members of the royal family here are, but there hasn't been any fighting for about fifteen years."

"But what makes you think that you can trust me?" Yugi asked.

"I don't. There are just so few truly powerful magic wielders. I mean, I've tried to do my part by removing monsters from the souls of criminals. Instead of locking them into the shadow realm like we usually do, they are being sealed in stone slabs. But only those with large amounts of shadow powers are able to use them."

Yugi opened his mouth, then hesitated as he recalled the threat that he received the last time that he had tried to ask the Pharaoh a question.

Atem noticed this. "Go ahead, Yugi. We are friends here outside of my throne room."

"Why don't you just train them and create an army?" Yugi asked.

"They are criminals. The monsters inside their souls encourage them to do evil. They would never follow me," Atem replied. "And the only way that you can have a good monster inside your soul is either to have a very powerful gift in shadow magic, or through constant prayer and meditation. That and the only way that we have found that would boost a Ka's power is to have them battle each other which is immoral."

"I see," Yugi replied.

"We are amassing an army though. Seto and Shada are taking care of it," Atem said. "So. Will you join me?"

Yugi sighed. What else could he say to that? "Yes, I will join you if I am still here at the time that war is declared."

"That is all that I ask," Atem replied.

Yugi yawned, surprising himself. It must have been later than he had originally thought. "I believe that I am going to turn in for the night."

"Good night," Atem said.

"'Night."

Atem didn't budge when Yugi got up and began to head out of the gardens. When Yugi reached the exit, he glanced back only to see that Atem had turned his eyes back up to the stars. He just shook his head and continued on.

...

"I'm telling you that I don't think that Atem knows." Yugi said the next night.

He had spent all day reading up on Egyptian history. To his frustration, he had found nothing that would tell him how to break the thief out of prison. He had however found out something interesting about the prison itself. Apparently it had a huge shadow magic ward around it to keep the more powerful criminals from breaking loose. Yugi just felt lucky when he read that that it was specifically for suppressing Ka and that any other Shadow Mages were locked in cells with dampeners that made it impossible to use their abilities.

"Really? What else did 'Atem' tell you, since you seem all buddy buddy with him?" Bakura sneered.

"He said that Shada and Seto are in charge of building the army and that there had been some bandits raiding villages near the border."

"There are always bandits raiding the villages closest to the border. I am surprised that Pharaoh is even taking notice." He spat out the word Pharaoh as if just saying it was enough to dirty his mouth. "You don't suppose that he would know then?"

"It just doesn't seem to fit," Yugi muttered. "There's something off about the whole thing."

"The only thing that is off is your judgement," Bakura pointed out, leaning against the bars.

Yugi flushed angrily. "It is not! I've been told that I have very good judgement. Especially when it comes to other people."

"You look like a puppy when you go red. Heh. I could almost kick you." Bakura replied.

"You know what Bakura? Sometimes you try too hard to be mean! I think that you are actually nice underneath if you would show it every once in a while." Yugi stormed off.

"Heh. I haven't been nice for a long time, Yugi," Bakura's voice held a tinge of bitterness. Yugi didn't reply as he was already far out of hearing range. The thief ignored the slight twinge of something that he felt in his chest and replaced it with the black hate that he knew so well. Yes, he would kill the Pharaoh and Yugi as well while he was at it.

...

Mana was waiting for him as usual the next morning.

"Let's skip today," she said.

"Skip?" Yugi yelped even though he himself would like a day off from studying as well. "But won't that get us into trouble?"

Mana looked sheepish. "Probably. But it's been so long since I was down to the city and I need someone to go with me. Pleeeease? Mahado has mentioned to me a time or to that he was beginning to fall behind in his priestly duties. He's practically telling us to go out and enjoy ourselves today because he never falls behind on paperwork."

"Uh..." Mana seized Yugi's arm before he even had a chance to reply.

"Wait! How do those in the city react to people from other lands?" Yugi had never been inside the city, preferring to stick to the outskirts. Very few civilians had actually caught sight of him.

Mana turned and looked at him in thought. "You're right. Just a second."

She raced off down the hall leaving Yugi standing there in surprise. In less than a minute she was back with a cloth in her hands that could cast over Yugi's face.

"Now this doesn't look suspicious at all," he muttered.

"Actually, it doesn't," Mana replied seriously. "Many people shop around with cloth casting shadows over their faces to help protect them from the sun."

Yugi looked dubious. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" Mana said.

"Alright, but you are taking the fall if this doesn't go according to plan," Yugi replied.

Mana didn't seem to hear him. She eagerly seized his hand and proceeded to drag him down and out through the gardens that surrounded the palace. Yugi just let her. After all, he hadn't set aside a day to just have fun since before he'd arrived in Egypt for his expedition.


	7. Chapter 6

"Tomatoes! Get your fresh tomatoes here," came the call of one of the many venders that lined the streets.

Yugi quickly acquired a crick in his neck from turning so often as he tried to take in as much of the sights as he could. Sellers were lined on both sides of the streets all belting out their wares in the morning sun. A group of children dashed through the crowd of early shoppers, laughing loudly as they did so. The occasional beggar wandered through the crowds, or leaned against the wall of a building asking for food or money.

Yugi was relieved to see that Mana was correct, and some of the other Egyptians had hoods pulled over their faces. He glanced up at the expressions on the faces of the adults around him and noticed that they were grim and lined with stress. Yugi looked closer and noted that at almost every street corner were guards.

"Ooooh, look jewelry!" Mana seized his wrist and dragged him over to where a table filled with all different kinds of bracelets and necklaces were glittering in the morning light. Her eyes shone as they drank in all the different designs.

Yugi soon lost interest in the jewelry and began to glance around again, wishing that he could photograph everything that he saw. He was careful not to catch the eye of the jewelry dealer himself, even if he seemed to just be a kindly looking middle aged man.

Mana glanced up and gasped. "Quickly!"

Yugi's wrist was seized yet again as the boisterous girl dragged him behind a nearby building. He leaned forward slightly, but still kept to the shadows to see who they were hiding from. Yugi covered his mouth to stifle his gasp of surprise. Seto and Shada were strolling down the street with a few soldiers ahead and behind them acting almost like they were an honour guard. Yet Yugi knew that they were there for anything but that.

People froze in their daily activities and a hush of silence tinged with fear fell over the normally bustling market place. Parents grabbed their children and everyone moved to the sides of the street to give the priests and their company a wide berth.

He was proven right as Seto nodded to one of the guards and the man peeled away from the group and seized the jeweller by his wrist and dragged him forward. He threw him at the feet of the priests. The man landed on his hands and knees. He looked up at Seto's cold sneer.

"Check him." Shada looked hesitant but did as he was told.

Pleas for mercy fell from the man's lips as Shada lifted the Millennium Key. "Please don't hurt me. Please I have a family. If I am gone who will care for them?"

Shada ignored the man and pointed the Millennium Key at the man's forehead. He turned it and the man's pleas fell silent at once. His jaw went slack and he stopped struggling. Yugi couldn't help but wonder if he had had the same expression on his face when Shada had looked into his mind.

"He has a Ka, but it is a spirit," Shada replied.

"Good. Seize him."

The guards grabbed the man and dragged him away to where Yugi knew that the prison was located.

"That's all that we need for today," Seto said. "Let's go back.

Many of the people stayed in the shadows until long after the priests were gone. Even afterwards the atmosphere of the street didn't quite return to what it was before and the stress lines on the faces of the citizens seemed just a little deeper.

"What were they doing?" Yugi hissed at her as they too returned to the street.

"I don't know. I think we need to ask Mahado. What they are doing, as far as I know it's wrong. They usually only take those that have evil Ka and even then only if they have committed a crime," Worry tinged Mana's voice. "I don't think that they should be doing this. Come on, let's go back."

Yugi hesitantly nodded and followed the unusually quiet girl back up to the palace.

"Mahado!" Mana burst into the private rooms of the priest with Yugi behind her.

The priest was seated at a desk with mounds of papyrus scrolls scattered everywhere. He looked up from his work. "What's wrong Mana? I assumed that you were intentionally missing lessons. You know you will be punished for it. You both will."

"I'm sorry," Mana said. She scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "It's just that Yugi had never seen the city by day and I wanted to take him. Also I've been really good with my studies lately and everyone needs a day off."

"Yes, everyone indeed needs a day off. Yet you take more days off than are needed. You already have two days at the end of every week off. You shouldn't need anymore."

"Yes, master," she muttered. She hung her head.

"I'm sorry as well, but there is a reason we came back. Mana wanted to ask you about what we saw in the city," Yugi said.

Mahado turned to Mana. "Is this true? What would you like to ask?"

"We were out shopping this morning and we saw something strange. I know that the Pharaoh had increased the number of guards because of increased crime and violence in the city, but Seto and Shada have been arresting innocent people as well!"

"This is a very grave accusation, Mana. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive!" The girl exclaimed. "We overheard Shada telling Seto that the man that he had tested had a clean soul with a good Ka. He hadn't committed any crime at all."

"If you are sure, Mana, then I must go see the Pharaoh at once," Mahado put down his writing utensil. "You two will have to come with me."

The throne room was bustling with activity when they entered. Servants were racing this way and that as two large tables were set out and food placed upon them. Up on his throne, Atem watched the proceedings, clearly bored.

"My Pharaoh!" Mahado rushed in and knelt on one knee before him.

Yugi and Mana kneeled down behind him.

Atem gestured for them to rise. "What is it, Mahado?"

"I need to talk to you in private. We need to talk to you in private. All three of us," Mahado said.

Atem paused for a moment and then stood up from his throne. "Come with me."

Atem walked out of the room without looking back. Mahado gestured for Yugi and Mana to follow him. They were lead a short ways down the hall.

To the casual eye it would have appeared to be just another expanse of wall. In fact if Atem hadn't waved his hand over the area, that was all Yugi would have seen. However, wherever the Pharaoh's hand passed, shadows began to ooze lazily out of the stone until it outlined a door. Without a word, Atem pushed it open and stepped inside. Yugi entered next and glanced around the room. It was circular, and bare except for the fire that had started up directly across from the door.

"What did you want to tell me?" Atem asked. "There are few things that would warrant you to want to speak to me in this room."

"My apprentices have spotted something alarming in the city," Mahado replied. "They said that they have seen soldiers as well as Priest Seto and Shada rounding up those that have broken no laws. Yugi and Mana claim that they are rounding those up with good and evil Ka alike. I know that Priestess Isis has predicted that this land will soon be confronted with such an evil that the world has never seen before, but surely we haven't become this desperate -"

Atem held out a hand to stop him from speaking. "I have not sanctioned such a thing."

"Then why -"

"Seto has always had a tendency to go to extremes when it comes to the security of our realm. I will speak with him as soon as possible. However, I would also like to hear the story in the words of those that were there."

"Well it all started this morning when we decided to skive off lessons for the day..." Mana and Yugi took turns telling him what had happened. Atem stopped them at various points for clarification until he had the story completely straight.

"It is out of character for Seto to just disobey my orders like that," Atem said. "He has the most reason to be loyal to the crown of Egypt. He must have a reason for doing something so... repulsive. You three are dismissed. Mention nothing that you heard here outside of this room. Yugi and Mana, that includes your little adventure down to the city."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," they both replied simultaneously. The situation was too sober to bear anything else but formality.

A large clunk sounded outside of the room. Yugi and Atem both froze as the stones rattled and the lighting took on a red haze.

"Atem," Yugi said slowly. "Who else knows of this room?"

"Including you three? Only Seto, Siamun and Aknadin. This place is reserved for only those that are trusted most by the Pharaoh or for emergency meetings. I trust Mahado because he is my mentor, and I trust Seto because he has proven otherwise. Aknadin was high priest to my father, so there is no reason why he would betray me. Siamun has similar reasons."

"Mahado, I want you to question Aknadin and Siamun on anyone who may know of this room who should not. I also would like you to make a list of anyone who may have accidentally learned of this place that you know of."

Atem turned to Yugi and Mana. "Your lessons for today are cancelled. You two will make your way back to your rooms and stay there for the time being. Your doors will be guarded in case whoever was eavesdropping decides to pay you a visit. Go."

Mahado, Yugi and Mana exited the room after swift bows.

Long after the door had closed behind them, Atem stood there with his forehead against the wall.

"Why would you not come to me, Seto?" he muttered.

It wasn't until late in the afternoon that Atem finally caught up to Seto, who was headed out of the castle. He seized the other priest by the elbow to stop him from continuing to where he was supposed to be headed.

"My Pharaoh. My apologies. I didn't see you there."

"I need to talk to you," Atem said quietly. "Now. Alone."

Seto glanced slightly towards the direction he had been headed and then nodded. "Lead the way, my Pharaoh."

Atem released his arm and lead him down the halls towards the same door that he had taken Mahado and his students to earlier.

He pushed the door closed behind him and turned to face Seto.

"I want to know why you have been going behind my back and taking those with Ka off the streets when they have not committed a crime," Atem said sharply.

"I -"

"And I want the truth this time. Why?"

"There have been an increasing feeling of instability in the shadows," Seto said. "I'm sure that you have felt it as well."

"Yes. Yes of course," Atem said. "But that does not mean that I don't condone what you are doing."

"I have also found this document in the library. It was created during the reign of the first Pharaoh of a united Egypt. A prophesier by the name of Adib. It predicts the creation of the seven millennium items and the circumstances around it. It also says that sixteen years to the day after they were created that a great evil will rise from them. One that can only be stopped by magic from the same source as that evil. Shadow Magic and the monsters that come with it."

"And you didn't see fit to share this with me, your Pharaoh?" Atem asked with a neutral tone of voice.

"No."

"And why is that?"

"The citizens grow restless, my Pharaoh. There has been aura of impending doom hanging over the cities. You have been nearly at your wits' end trying to contain this unease yourself already. I couldn't possibly lay another burden on your shoulders when you can barely keep awake as it is.

"You hide it from everyone else well, but we grew up together. I can see the exhaustion in your eyes. You have been struggling not to fall asleep during the different court cases for weeks. I've seen you! And I can't help but worry."

"I appreciate your concern, Seto," Atem said. "But that gave you no excuse to go behind my back and do this. What have you been doing with those that you have been collecting?"

"Nothing more than taking them down to the prisons. I was hoping to protect them. You know that the monsters that we use in shadow duels are the Ka of the prisoners, right?"

Atem gestured for him to continue.

"There has been evidence that those in the population with exceptionally powerful Ka or are most likely to have powerful Ka are being kidnapped. There is someone out there doing this. We must protect them so our enemy doesn't get any stronger. I've had people talk to the citizens in bars and the marketplace and sure enough the best and worst of the people are both disappearing. People known for their kindness as well as their treachery."

"You are completely sure of this?" Atem said.

"Yes."

"There is another reason that I have called you into this room," Atem said. "I fear that we may have an enemy in the castle."

"An enemy?"

"Yes. Mahado's young apprentices witnessed you taking one of those with a Ka into custody. Mahado took them here to tell me what happened."

"My Pharaoh, that's impossible."

"Why is that?" Atem asked.

"Because I haven't been down to the city today. I am only collecting those with the strongest Ka," Seto replied. "I have told the soldiers what to look for and they send a runner to report to me when they have found a suitable candidate."

"I see. Do you have someone that can verify that you weren't down there this morning?

"Priestess Isis. I was with her this entire morning. We were looking through the ancient records to find more clues about Adib."

Atem frowned. "I see. When I was talking to them, someone tried to breach the sanctity of this room."

"So few people know about it though," Seto replied.

"Do you have any theories as to how this information could have gotten out to anyone else?" Atem asked.

"I suppose someone could have seen you and another enter the room at some point," Seto replied.

Atem shook his head. "There is another spell on the door that makes those not lead into this room by me forget about it shortly after. The only way is if someone mentioned it. Or that we have a suspect among our closest allies. I must see Priestess Isis and get details about this impending doom. Seto, I would like to see that scroll immediately."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Seto turned to leave.

"One more thing," Atem said. "You may have done it out of concern for my well being, but the next time that you with hold information that threatens the safety of this country, I will see you thrown in prison yourself. The only reason that you are getting another chance is because we have been friends for so long."

Seto's lips tightened. "Understood, Atem." He left.


	8. Chapter 7

Yugi bit his lip as he lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. He had practised a couple of the new spells that he was learning to pass the time, but had soon grown bored. Outside, night had long since fallen, the only light being from the large full moon that was hovering low in the sky. The servants hadn't been in to light the oil in the lamps because of what had happened so Yugi was currently on the edge of sleep. His growling belly and the cool night air were the only things that stopped him from dozing off completely. He wondered about when he would be let outside his room.

Outside his door, guards armed with a small bit of shadow magic of their own were posted. The air outside felt thick with tension, as if it were the calm before the storm. However, the skies were clear and Yugi knew that the rainy season wasn't for months. He had been dimly aware of it for some time now. Over the last month or so, people had been gossiping in the shadows. There were rumours that Egypt faced invasion by a force never seen before in living memory. Even the Pharaoh had been more distant than usual and he didn't strike Yugi as the kind of man to let tensions bother him.

There was a choked shout outside. Yugi sat up abruptly as his magic hummed underneath his skin. Sounds of a scuffle followed, and then a roar of a monster followed by a scream. There were only two guards left, and somehow Yugi didn't think that they stood a chance against their mysterious opponent. Hell, Yugi didn't think that he stood a chance either. It was likely that the person that had been trying to overhear the conversation between Mana, Mahado and him was after him. He was the weakest of the three and the most logical choice.

Yugi glanced to the window and back again. He hadn't learned how to transport himself via the shadow realm yet and it was a long way down. Yugi ran over to the balcony and looked down. His stomach dropped at the height. He was at least thirty feet from the ground. Yugi jumped slightly as he heard a third body hit the floor as the sounds of struggle continued outside of the door.

Yugi gulped. He didn't have much of a choice, did he? He climbed over the small ledge and lowered himself so that he was hanging onto the edge of the balcony by the tips of his fingers. His heart pounded wildly in his ears as he closed his eyes. He swung his body back and forth a couple of times before he let go of the edge. He landed on all fours and yelped as his right wrist cracked. Yugi allowed himself to roll to absorb the rest of shock from the fall. He dragged himself forward so that he was against the wall of the building. He knew that the person wouldn't be able to see him even if they looked straight down.

Yugi's shadow magic hummed even more as he heard the door to his room hit the wall with a bang. He couldn't risk hiding himself by shadow magic. When he had been learning how to detect shadow magic, Mahado had explained to him that some of the most powerful mages could detect another mage who was using his shadows to conceal himself. Yugi had an inkling that the one after him was one of those powerful mages as his magical signature was so powerful that even he could feel it and his lack of mastery in that subject was only second to his inability to write neatly.

"I know you're down there," came a harsh laugh from above. Yugi's heart began to pound in terror at the vaguely familiar voice. How... how did he know? "Now that would be telling, wouldn't it? I'm coming after you, Yugi. You have some information that I need."

Yugi gulped and then wondered. If the man could read his mind, why didn't he just take the information that he wanted?

"The information I need is buried a little too deeply, thanks to the interference of the Pharaoh," the man spat from above.

Yugi stood up and cradled his aching wrist in his good hand. He looked down at it and winced. The bone was actually jutting up and pushing against the skin. It began to throb even more as he stared at it. Panting with the pain of it all, he fled towards the gardens where he knew that the exit would be. There was only one place that he could think of hiding where the man wouldn't be able to detect him. Yugi burst through the bushes and onto the main path towards the gates.

He choked as a stench hit him. It was the smell of raw meat and blood. Yugi glanced forward through to the rest of the path. Lying in the middle were two dark shapes. The guards. Yugi skidded to a stop and heaved. Bile fell from his lips and joined the mess that was already on the ground. His body coughed and tears streamed down from the corners of his eyes. He raised his good hand to his face and wiped the moisture away before covering his mouth. Yugi knew that the man wasn't far behind him. He took off running again, headed towards the prison. It was the only place that he could think of that had another shield of shadow magic. He could hide in there. The man wouldn't be able to detect him from there.

Yugi was sure now that the Pharaoh hadn't known of what was happening. He clumsily coated himself in shadows as he ran towards the gates and into the prison. His legs ached as he headed towards the deepest part of the dungeons. He was nearing his limit. Yugi didn't even bother to maintain his disguise as he raced down the hall. He stopped and nearly fell to his knees in front of Bakura's cell.

"Who's there?" came the familiar voice from inside of the cell.

"It's Yugi," Yugi gasped weakly. "There's something going on at the palace. Don't think the Pharaoh knows. It's ... time ... that I got you out."

"Got me out? And how, pray tell do you intend to do that?"

"No time," Yugi moaned. He reached up and grasped the large padlock that held the door shut. He sent his shadow magic forward through his fingers and found the switch inside. With a few murmured words on Yugi's part, it clicked and opened. Yugi dropped it to the floor and pulled the door open. Bakura stepped forward and into the light of Yugi's lantern.

Yugi smiled weakly. "Sorry, I only found out how to do this a couple of hours ago."

"I knew you were a traitor."

Yugi and Bakura both turned their heads to the right. Seto was standing there, his eyes glinting in the lantern light.

"That's why I chose you, you know," he continued, though his voice was harsh unlike the smooth cold one that Yugi knew him for. "Out of the two, who would be most likely to betray the Pharaoh. You? Or Mana?"

"Seto?" Yugi said.

The man continued as if he hadn't heard Yugi's comment. "Your disappearance on this night will not come as a surprise."

He stepped further into the light. Yugi blanched as he noticed that the man had the key around his neck. The scales dangled from his fingertips. Seto stepped towards them and Yugi and Bakura both noticed the Eye gleaming dully out from under the ceremonial hat that he wore.

Bakura's hand clenched around Yugi's wrist from behind and the thief snarled at him.

"And who could forget you, little Bakura?" Bakura raised an eyebrow at that. "I was the one who sent those soldiers you know. I was the one who performed the ritual to create the Millennium Items. Do you know that the Pharaoh actually believed me when I told him that we had sacrificed livestock in order to create them? As if something so powerful could be created from killing mere animals."

"I'll kill you," Bakura snarled. His voice held so much rage and darkness that Yugi couldn't help but shiver. He stepped in front of Yugi and lunged at the man. Seto laughed wildly and dodged the attack.

"One would think that the great Thief King could do a little better than that," the man mocked.

Yugi stared at him. "You're not Seto," he realised.

"Well you do have your bright moments, don't you?" The man's voice was condescending as if congratulating a child. "You are correct. I am Aknadin. I am merely making you think that I am Seto, but it does not seem like I need to keep of the charade any longer."

The man smirked as his image wavered for a second before fading into that of the old priest. Bakura lunged again, trying to choke the man. This time he was thrown against the wall and bound with shadows. Bakura let out a howl and struggled against the bonds, trying to get at the one who had slaughtered his village.

Aknadin ignored him and turned to Yugi. "And now, I shall learn exactly what transpired in that room."

Yugi stepped back as the shadows around the man began to writhe towards him. Yugi let out a yelp of fear as the man they stalked closer. He desperately tried to remember what he had learned from Mahado. He gathered the shadows from underneath his skin and pushed them forward into a shield.

"It seems that you know a little too, don't you?" the man said. "That won't help you. I am far stronger than you."

Yugi screamed as the shadows came towards him. At once the shield around him condensed as his magic responded to his distress. He pushed harder and the shield thickened even further. Aknadin's shadows smashed into it. Yugi let out a moan as his shield held for a second, then trembled, cracked and broke. The shadows swooped down and smashed him into the ground.

Bakura's howls continued on throughout this. The part of him that was not momentarily insane from the sheer amount of rage that he was feeling smirked as he felt his restraints weaken. He directed his anger towards the bonds. They immediately shattered. Bakura fell to the floor behind Aknadin, who turned at the sound in time to block him. Bakura found himself on the ground again. He growled and hauled himself to his feet.

"Oh enough of this already," Aknadin said. He sent the shadows forward once more.

Bakura instinctively tried to summon Diabound. It failed and he coughed at the strain it placed upon his body. Even more enraged, he tried again, and this time he felt the wards around the prison bend, and then snap back into place. Noticing what was happening, he tried once more and felt the web of spells snap. And then Diabound was in the hall. Or at least the snake tail of his Ka was. It had grown far too massive to fit any better than that.

Bakura growled when he saw that the creature wouldn't be able to fight due to space restrictions.

"Grab them both," Bakura said. "And take us outside."

A large hand reached through the ceiling and did just that. Diabound dragged them all outside and deposited Aknadin on the ground and flew about fifty feet away before placing Bakura and Yugi on the ground.

There were shouts in the distance as the two squared off against each other. Bakura glanced down at Yugi, who was lying on the ground beside him, completely unconscious. He wouldn't allow the other man to get him simply because he wanted him. Maybe Yugi could be convinced to give up this all important information to him. That and the brat had saved him from prison. They were even now.

"You think that you will be able to stand against three Millennium Items?" Aknadin laughed.

Bakura stared at him for a second, the anger clearing slightly from his eyes as he took a minute to actually analyze the situation. His Ka, while very powerful, would be no match for three Millennium Items. Diabound grabbed him by the waist and flapped into the air.

Bakura glared down at the man on the desert. "Diabound! Spiral shockwave!"

The Ka roared in agreement and sent the attack to the man on the ground. Bakura clenched his hands in fists as Aknadin merely laughed and absorbed the blow. The Millennium Items rightfully belonged to him. He had been planning on collecting them and destroying them after killing the Pharaoh. He bit his lip. He wasn't so sure about either of those now.

Bakura couldn't figure it out. If the man had been the one responsible for the slaughter his village, then was the Pharaoh to blame? Or was it that he was trying to protect the Pharaoh? He wanted to believe that it was the later of the two, but he wasn't so sure anymore. After all, why would he take the Millennium Items from their owners? That was strange to say the least. No, he was sure that the man was acting alone.

Bakura growled. He was not fit to fight Aknadin in his current state. He stepped back and silently commanded Diabound to swoop down and take them underground.

...

Yugi groaned and stirred in Diabound's other hand as they flew over the desert. It wasn't likely they'd believe him anyway. Nor would they believe Yugi. He was a foreigner and Bakura knew how they treated foreigners. Even if Yugi had been treated well before this, he was sure to be the first one besides Bakura that the suspicion would fall to. He growled at the thought. It wouldn't do to allow Aknadin to gain all of the Millennium Items which he seemed posed to do if something wasn't done. Bakura didn't think that the man would unite them for the reason that he wanted to.

Even if he didt a hold of one, he would have only used it to aid in the capture and destruction of all of the others.

"What happened?" Bakura jumped and cursed himself for being unobservant. Apparently he had lost some of his touch when he had been in prison.

"You came to let me out. Aknadin was there disguised as Seto," Bakura said. "He had three of the Millennium Items and wanted to use them to get information from you which you will be giving me right now. I summoned Diabound and escaped, taking you with me."

Yugi swallowed hard. "I can't tell you."

"And why not?"

"The Pharaoh has this room where he goes when he wants to hear information or advice from a few trusted people," Yugi said. "I was in there because of what we saw in the village. All I can say is that I told him what the soldiers were doing there. I'm sure you are aware of it."

"Yes," Bakura replied.

"Well... that's basically what happened."

"Why did he take you to the room?"

"Well it's because he didn't want people to overhear what we were going to tell him," Yugi said.

"I see. That must mean that he suspects a traitor. Is this true?" Bakura said.

"I can't tell you," Yugi mumbled. "Where are we headed?"

"A hideout of mine. It should have a couple of skins of water and some money."

"But won't they think that we are traitors then? Why did you take me with you?"

"As much as I hate it, I am indebted to you."

"No you're not. You saved me at the oasis, remember? And I got you captured."

"Look, do you want me to drop you in the middle of the desert?" Bakura snapped.

"No."

"Then accept that I am indebted to you and shut up."

Yugi bit his lip and nodded. "Shouldn't we go back to the palace?"

"No. We are not going back there. I don't want to go back there after finally getting out of that dungeon," Bakura replied. "They think that you are a traitor anyway and they know that I am a traitor."

"How do you know that?" Yugi said.

"You broke a criminal out of prison and used shadow magic against a priest. They'll probably be after us for other reasons. They'll think that we took the Millennium Items."

"But it's easy to tell if we have them or not," Yugi protested. "Isis just needs to look into our futures. She can't see them if we have the Millennium Items. They'll be too busy chasing after the real culprit. It's Aknadin that we have to worry about."

"I've hated the Pharaoh all of my life. I still hate him," Bakura said shortly. "We are not going to talk about this anymore."

Yugi sighed and then fell silent. Obviously he wasn't going to be able to convince the thief. The sun's rays were starting to streak across the horizon by the time Diabound started to guide them towards the ground. Yugi blinked. Around them lay a flowing waterfall. An oasis in the middle of the desert. Actually it was the same one that they had been to all those months ago when Bakura had found him faint from heatstroke.

As they got closer, Yugi could hear the waterfall. The promise of fresh water made him feel more alert as they skimmed over the tops of the trees that grew around the oasis in a tight circle. Sand flew in the air as Diabound made his landing. Gently, the Ka set both Bakura and Yugi on the ground just outside of the circle of trees on the other side of the oasis. Yugi couldn't help but yawn as the area was filled more and more rapidly with the early morning sunlight. Diabound dematerialized into a ball of light which sank into Bakura's chest.

"Come on," Bakura began to walk towards the waterfall.

Yugi rubbed his eyes tiredly and then jumped. He felt something he hadn't the last time that he had been there. The presence of shadow magic fairly hummed through the air, making his own buzz in return. He followed Bakura.

Bakura didn't stop when he reached the shore of the pool, but continued on into the water and up to the waterfall. Yugi winced as he walked right through it and disappeared. Just because the desert was hot during the day didn't mean that it wasn't cold at night. He waited a few moments before realizing that Bakura wasn't going to come out anytime soon.

"Bakura?" Yugi stepped into the water hesitantly. To his surprise it was quite warm. There was no answer. "Bakura?"

His voice was swallowed up by the rushing water. Yugi took a deep breath and approached the falls. The warm water felt refreshing as it splashed against his face. Then, he stepped through and was amazed when the water passed over his head with nothing more than a gust of warm air. Bakura had already lit a torch and placed it against the wall.

Yugi let out a gasp. The light revealed nothing but stolen valuables as far as the eye could see. There was anything from a couple of earthenware pots to heaps of coin, to piles of jewelry and gold statuettes that had obviously come from the tombs of the dead.

"Impressed?" Bakura said.

"H-how... this?" Yugi stammered.

"Che. I don't feel like answering any questions right now," Bakura sat against the wall and picked his nails with a jewel encrusted knife. "You go to sleep. I'll take first watch."

"First watch?"

"I have a bad feeling," Bakura muttered. He took the torch down from the wall and thrust it out through the cave opening. The fire hissed as it was put out. The room fell into darkness. "Go to sleep. I'll wake you up soon."


	9. Chapter 8

A few hours before Bakura and Yugi escaped...

"My Pharaoh!" Atem turned to see Seto hurriedly approaching with a papyrus scroll in hand.

"Is that the prophecy?"

"Yes, it is," Seto handed it over to Atem.

Atem slowly undid the tie holding the scroll shut. The papyrus roll was so old that he had to coax it to unroll.

In a time of Egypt's weakness.

When all hope seems lost,

One child will bear witness,

To salvation's great cost.

A man will betray his Pharaoh,

By way of magic ritual

And in so be named a hero.

The feeling won't be mutual.

The child will grow into a man.

He will be called the King of Thieves.

With revenge as his only plan,

He would terrorize all of Thebes.

Atem looked up. "During his trial, Bakura said that he was the only one of his village to survive. He also wanted to avenge his family."

"That's why I wanted you to see this," Seto replied.

Atem continued reading.

Another person will appear.

Pharoah-like in disposition,

For him to put a stop to fear,

He will face a hard decision.

Not knowing who is friend or foe.

He will betray Pharaoh and thief,

However to stop all this woe,

Forgiveness shall be the one key

Only then can Egypt be saved,

From the ultimate dark one Zorc.

Working together, stranger and knave,

From darkness, Egypt they shall save.

"Zorc?" Atem asked.

"I have already done research on this Zorc. He has not been seen since before the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Even then he had only possessed a man. He has never been in this world in his full form. If he ever is, it is thought that he would destroy existence as we know it."

Atem sighed. "I assume that you have interpreted this the same that I have? Yugi is definitely the stranger. And Isis has said that something terrible is coming and the unrest of the population..."

"Yes, Atem," Seto said grimly. "The fulfilment of this prophecy is upon us."

"I don't want you telling anyone this yet. It could ruin the sequence of these events," Atem said. "I will tell everyone when it is time. In the meantime, conceal this scroll where no one else shall find it."

"Understood, my Pharaoh."

It felt as if no time had passed at all when Yugi was shaken awake by Bakura. He moaned, not willing to wake up just yet. He heard an annoyed sigh followed by the sound of footsteps fading away over the sound of the water. They returned seconds later and stopped by Yugi. Yugi sighed and felt himself fall farther back into the realm of dreams only to bolt up into a sitting position when water cascaded down onto his face. He glanced around blindly around for the source only to find Bakura standing over him with a raised brow.

"It's your turn to watch. Wake me in a couple of hours," Bakura lay down some ways away from him.

Yugi sighed and wandered outside of the cave entrance and through the waterfall. He squinted as the bright light hit his face. There was a rock directly to the right of the entrance and a bit higher up on the rock wall. The rocks were laid out in such a way that they formed a natural stairway. Yugi clambered over to it. He flopped down onto it with a sigh and stared out over across the oasis. He didn't know much about enchanted objects or places yet. He wondered what this place was and how it existed. His shadow magic hummed under his skin as if begging to be let out. Yugi sighed and decided that he could focus on one of his lessons to pass the time.

Yugi raised his unbroken hand and turned it palm up. A tingling rushed through him as he willed the shadow ball into existence. It rotated swiftly in his hand, letting out the occasional spark of purple light.

Yugi shifted on the rock feeling extremely uncomfortable. It had been over an hour since Bakura had sent him to watch. His stomach growled, his broken wrist twinged in pain and he sighed. When was he going to get some food? The trees around the oasis were large, but none of them had fruit. Whether they were out of season or just didn't grow any in the first place, Yugi didn't know.

Yugi re-conjured his shadow ball and tossed it up and down as he thought. What were they going to do now? Aknadin had stolen two of the items in addition to the Eye he had already possessed. The man had always made Yugi nervous every time that he had passed him in the palace, but now he was just plain scared of him.

Yugi yawned. He was so tired. His eyes fluttered slightly as he forced himself to stay awake. The sound of the waterfall was so relaxing. Yugi glanced down to the water below him. His dry tongue licked his lips in a vain attempt to wet them. He glanced back at the fall where the entrance to Bakura's hideout. Bakura hadn't said anything about where he could conduct his watch. Yugi slipped off the rock and clambered down the side of the near sheer wall by the waterfall. He stepped down into the water.

The water welcomed him warmly like an old friend. It seemed so much brighter down here. Yugi waded over to the shore and then hauled himself out. He crouched by the bank and cupped his good hand into the water. Yugi drank his fill and then found a seat underneath a nearby tree. He gazed at the sky and wondered at the beauty of the day. A bush rustled. Yugi covered himself in shadows and glanced towards it. Another bush shook and to his surprise and horror, Aknadin stepped out onto the shore of the pool. Yugi held very still, his breath coming in rapid puffs. It turned out that he was very lucky to have come down. Aknadin had come out of the bushes at an angle that would have been impossible to see from the falls.

"This is odd," Aknadin said. "This is the source of shadow magic that I have been tracing for the past half day? It's strong enough to muffle any other traces. I have never seen such a thing. I bet that thief is here. There's no other place around within a day's walking distance that would have water."

There was a pause. Aknadin tilted his head as if listening to something. "No. Of course I don't doubt you."

Yugi ignored the fact that the man was talking to thin air and quickly scanned the area around the waterfall. There wasn't anyway he could possibly get back up that fall without dropping his disguise. Aknadin began to circle around the pool to where Yugi was, looking for a spot where Bakura could have possibly hidden.

Yugi got up and silently slipped back over to the falls. At the last possible second, he dropped his disguise and stepped into the water. He quickly made his way over to the waterfall. His feet slipped a little as he scrambled over the rock and through the falling water. He cast a glance around the cave and saw that Bakura had not moved from his position. Yugi took a step towards him – only to be stopped as a gnarled hand clapped over his mouth. Hot, fetid breath washed against his ear as the Aknadin spoke.

"Is this the one? I don't see Bakur-no no. Yes."

Aknadin's fingers tightened with an abnormal strength as Yugi began to struggle. Not one to give up, he just fought harder to free himself. Stars popped in front of his eyes as a fist slammed into the back of his head. Yugi felt his body go slack.

Bakura woke to the sound of his name. He opened his eyes just a slit and watched as Yugi was struck in the head by Aknadin. Aknadin. The man directly responsible for the death of his village. The rage rushed through his veins, hot and vicious. He reached to his side and felt that the knife was still there.

The movement caught Aknadin's eye and he looked up from the limp foreigner. Bakura's eyes widened in surprise, not alarm when he saw that the man was holding a knife to Yugi's throat.

"Awake are you? Good. I'll make things simple. If you allow me, Zorc to possess you, I will allow you to get your revenge on Aknadin. If you refuse, I'll kill him." Aknadin's voice was darker and deeper than normal.

"That wasn't part of the deal!" came Aknadin's real voice.

"Allowing you to live wasn't what you asked for," Zorc replied. "Now shut up!"

Bakura hesitated, then allowed a smirk to twist his lips. "This needs little thought. Zorc, I accept your offer."

"Come over here, then," Zorc replied through Aknadin.

Bakura stepped forward. Finally, the opportunity to get his revenge was upon him, even if it wasn't the man that he was originally after. He stopped a hair's breadth out of the reach of the possessed man and drew his knife. It was just too bad that he wouldn't take it unless on his own terms. Bakura slammed himself against Aknadin and rammed his knife underneath the man's ribs and pierced his heart.

Zorc let out a choked sound and dropped Yugi. He staggered for a moment before falling to the floor. Almost immediately, a tornado of shadows welled up from the cracks and the crevices of the cave floor and encircled him.

Bakura dashed towards Yugi, who was still out cold on the ground. He picked him up and raced to the cave entrance. He clambered down the rocks with Yugi over his shoulder.

"Diabound!"

The Ka appeared and picked up Yugi in one hand and Bakura in another. There was only one place that they could go. Well, two places.

It was a couple of hours before Yugi began to stir.

"Owww," his eyes fluttered open. "What happened? Why are we travelling again?"

Bakura didn't answer, instead opting to stare straight ahead.

"Bakura?"

There was no reply, and finally Yugi lapsed into silence, too uncomfortable in the mid-afternoon heat to really say anything.

"Do you remember anything?" Bakura eventually asked.

Yugi frowned and concentrated. "Aknadin! But how did we get away?"

Bakura told him. He left out the fact that the only reason that they got away was because he had decided to take Zorc up on his offer, right up until the moment he drew his knife and stabbed the demon possessed man.

"So Aknadin is dead, then?" Yugi asked.

Bakura shook his head. "I stabbed him through the heart, but it will probably take more than that to kill him."

By the time that they arrived back at the palace, it was clear that the priests and the Pharaoh had been awakened by the commotion that had occurred around the prison. Shouts rose up when the soldiers saw Diabound's approaching shadow. There was a pause, and then arrows began to fly towards them.

The Ka dodged them to the best of his ability and dropped Bakura and Yugi off in the gardens. Bakura landed on his feet while Yugi fell to his knees beside him. Yugi rose to his feet, cradling his arm against his chest only to find the tip of a sword at his chest. Beside him, Bakura found himself in a similar situation. Neither of them protested as they were forcefully lead to the throne room.

At this time of night the huge room was lit with torches lining the walls. A large fire in the middle of the room. Yugi glanced around and noticed that the priests who had had their items stolen weren't among those gathered. Atem was speaking in low tones to Isis when he spotted Yugi and Bakura.

"So," Seto said. "You have betrayed us, Yugi. You decided to kill three priests and take their items. On top of that you chose to break a dangerous criminal out of prison."

"They're dead?" Yugi whispered.

"Their souls were completely obliterated," Atem grimly replied. "It's one of two ways to gain control of an item."

"I... I didn't do it. Please! You have got to believe me," Yugi said. "Have Isis check my future if you don't believe me. If I had them, you wouldn't be able to see it."

"Do not worry, Yugi," Atem said quietly. "You will get a fair trial. Or, at least what counts for one in the middle of all of this chaos. If we find you guilty however, you will be executed. Isis?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Isis murmured.

As she began to concentrate, Isis' hand drifted to her throat. Yugi stared at it as a golden light began to trickle through her fingers. She stayed like that until her eyes snapped open and she whipped around to look at Bakura, who glared right back at her. She turned her gaze towards Yugi.

"In the theft of the items at least, Yugi is not guilty," Isis said.

She turned and did the same thing to Bakura.

"Neither is Bakura. However, he did stab Aknadin."

"Though I would like to have done so," Bakura muttered so quietly that only Yugi heard.

"What about breaking Bakura out of prison?" Atem said.

Yugi sighed. "I'll tell you the whole story, my Pharaoh."

So Yugi told him about how the evening had started with the attack on him, showing his broken wrist as evidence. When he got to the point where he freed Bakura, Atem halted him.

"You are on his side?" Atem said.

Yugi hesitantly nodded, and noticed Bakura turn his head towards him with a surprised look on his face. Apparently, it didn't take breaking him out of prison to convince him that Yugi was on his side. It took him saying it to the Pharaoh himself.

"Bakura told me the story of what had happened to his village to make the Millennium Items," Yugi said quietly.

Atem and Seto traded looks. "Is there any way to prove this?" Atem asked.

"I can lead you there," Bakura said. He grimaced. The last thing that he wanted was the Pharaoh and his goons poking around the ruins. He then wondered why they were willing to listen ot them at all. "Why are you willing to listen to us anyway?"

Atem sighed. "In light of what has happened, Egypt is now in danger from dark forces. We need as many people on our side as possible. You are both powerful even though Yugi is still only learning and would be helpful to our cause."

"It's a pathetic attempt to lure us into a trap," Seto said disdainfully though his face was thoughtful. "And you, Yugi, it is obvious that he is making up lies to keep you on his side."

Bakura stepped forward with a snarl and slugged the priest. "I would never lie about that. I was the only one that survived that day. Aknadin killed everyone that I ever cared about. And I will put aside my differences with you just so that I can return the favour."

Seto rose up and punched him back. "You'd lie just to save your own skin," he said.

"Heh. I'm not the only one," Bakura replied as he staggered back from the blow. His eyes narrowed in thought. It was confirmed. There was definitely something more going on than on the surface.

Throughout this whole thing Atem had been quiet. "You planned on betraying me," he finally said.

"I didn't know which side was in the right and which side was in the wrong," Yugi replied. "I didn't know if you knew what had been going on down there or not. To have said something could have had me killed. I didn't want to believe that Bakura was right. I really didn't and I'm happy that in this case he isn't. I wish I could have told you."

Atem glanced to Seto and back at Yugi's pleading eyes. He sighed. "Let's go to this village. Is there any solid evidence still left there."

Bakura took a deep breath. "There's still evidence. Though the village is in ruins, you will find that the room that it was done in is untouched. The stone table as well should help prove this."

"I must object, my Pharaoh," said Siamun. "Perhaps we could send a scouting party to this village?"

"I agree," Seto said.

Bakura snorted. "You won't get in without me. The spirits of those who were bound to this realm by the Millennium Items reside there. They will kill anyone on sight with the exception of myself. However, if you want to kill yourself, I will gladly give you directions there, High Priest."

Seto sneered at him. "And I suppose you don't hate the Pharaoh anymore either?"

"Oh no," Bakura said. "I still hate him. I just hate Aknadin more."

Atem interrupted. "We are going. But be warned. If you so much as show a sign of betraying us, you will die."

"I know," Bakura replied.

"How far is it from here?"

"Nearly a day's ride."

"Fine," Atem said. "We'll set out in the morning. For the meantime, you two will be taken into custody and placed in the old dungeons underneath the palace. But first we shall have Yugi's broken wrist seen to. Isis?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh?"

"Take him to the healers," Atem said. "Guards? Take Bakura down to the dungeons."

Isis took Yugi gently by the shoulders. "Come with me, Yugi."


	10. Chapter 9

Yugi let out a yelp as, he was shoved into his cell. He felt pangs of pain travel up his arm as he landed on his freshly healed wrist. He felt bad that the Pharaoh didn't trust him anymore, but not nearly so that he regretted what he did. At least, he thought as they were lead into the palace and down a hidden staircase into the dungeons. At least they were alive and he'd be able to get a good night's sleep.

It turned out that this was easier said than done, as the dungeons were a very cold place. Yugi shivered as they were led down the hall to their cell. He couldn't remember being this cold since winter back home in Japan. He waited for a wave of homesickness to come upon him and was surprised when his thoughts only brought a vague sense of nostalgia.

They were thrown in the same cell, as Atem didn't have many guards to spare at the moment and he wanted someone watching them at all times. Not that Yugi or Bakura planned on escaping.

Yugi let his head hit the wall as he gazed up at the ceiling with a sigh. The awkward silence began to get to him as time wore on and he wished for a topic of conversation, but one look at Bakura told him that it was pointless. The self proclaimed Thief King sat against the wall with one of his knees drawn up to his chest. Even from here, Yugi could see that his face looked troubled.

"I haven't been back there in years." Yugi jumped.

"What?"

"I said that I haven't been back there in years," Bakura turned to look at him.

"I'm not surprised," Yugi replied.

Neither got much sleep that night.

It was still dark when Yugi was awoken by the sound of the door to their cell opening. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and jumped in surprise when he saw that Bakura was only a couple of feet away from him.

"B-Bakura?"

"Good morning to you too," the thief rolled his eyes and got to his feet.

Two guards stepped in, both burly with large swords at their hips. "Come on you two, let's go. The Pharaoh can't wait all day for you lazy criminals."

Bakura roughly hauled Yugi to his feet and pushed him to get him walking. Exhausted, Yugi couldn't help but yawn all of the way until he came to the entrance hall. He felt his eyes widen at the sight. Even though it was clear that the sun had not yet risen, people were bustling around everywhere. In the midst of it all, Atemu sat at his throne, watching the proceedings. Food was being gathered for the day and placed in bags.

Yugi and Bakura were both guided to kneel in front of the Pharaoh, though Bakura grumbled under his breath as he did so. The ever present smile that Atem had worn when he and Yugi had talked in the gardens was replaced by lips pressed in a cold, hard line. In fact, Atem barely looked at them. Yugi felt his heart sink at the sight. He knew that nothing would ever be the same between them.

"Go help them," Atem eventually said.

Yugi scrambled to his feet and ran off to do so. Bakura followed at a slower pace. Along with the guards, they hauled the packs of water and food out to the waiting horses. The sun's rays were just beginning to peek out over the horizon when Atem came out escorted by his royal guard. Once again he didn't acknowledge Yugi and instead walked up to a horse at the head of the procession. Yugi turned back to his work, and was stopped by a servant girl. She pushed two loaves of bread into his hands.

"Those are yours," she murmured. "Siamun said that you hadn't eaten since last night."

"Thank you." The girl immediately ran off.

He went up to Bakura who was only working a few feet away. "From Siamun," Yugi said.

Bakura took it with a nod of thanks. He then immediately tore into it. Yugi watched in surprise as the thief downed the entire loaf within a few minutes. When Bakura caught him watching, he hid his smile behind a bite of from his own bread.

A shout went up, announcing that the preparations were complete. With that, Yugi felt his upper arms grabbed as he was forcefully dragged towards the front of the procession. Behind him Bakura was grabbed as well and began to struggle. Used to the treatment by now, Yugi just let them take him where they wanted him to be.

At the very front of the line, and a few metres down from Atem stood a horse that was the only one besides the Pharaoh's that was not weighed down by baggage. Many ropes were wrapped around its neck, each leading to the hand of one of the guards.

Yugi was forcefully guided to the horse beside it. Which he would be riding. Alone.

"I don't know how to ride a horse!" Yugi yelped in indignation as he was lifted up and sat on the animal. He held on to the reigns so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Beneath him, the horse shifted restlessly, sensing its riders nervousness.

Beside him, Bakura was forced up onto the horse beside him. His hands were then bound behind his back. After he was settled, the morning was filled with the sound of men saddling up. Yugi shaded his eyes from the already blistering heat of the morning sun. Atem gave the call and the procession moved forward. His horse pranced nervously underneath him as his nerves began to bother him even more.

Two guards were on either side of him. They obviously didn't find him nearly as much of a threat as Bakura was. By the look of the smirks that they were biting back, they could also tell that Yugi didn't really know how to ride a horse. Yugi glowered at them. He bet that they would be just as out of place in modern day Japan.

For most of the morning, Yugi was able to keep his horse under some semblance of control though it was clear that the creature was a little spooked. It was just when Yugi thought that he was getting the basics of this riding thing that it happened. The mid-afternoon sun shone brightly overhead, making beads of sweat form on Yugi's forehead. They itched as they slowly ran down his face. Beside him, the guards looked perfectly at ease. Yugi hated them for it.

These were the thoughts of Yugi when his horse suddenly let out a screech. Yugi yelped in shock as it reared up onto its hind legs. The reigns slipped out of his grasp and he scrabbled for something to hang on to with no avail. Before he even knew that he was falling, he landed on the hot sand with a thunk and watched his horse take off into the distance. Behind him, the whole company ground to a halt.

Yugi blinked dazedly as he shook the sand from his eyes. A hiss came from nearby and he turned to see a snake right beside him. It was his turn to screech in shock. He scrambled backwards, away from the serpent which he recognized as a poisonous type that had been spotted frequently around dig sites. As the pissed off snake slithered its way towards him, it raised its head as if to strike. Yugi swallowed hard and tried desperately to think of some shadow magic to save him. The snake let out one final hiss and collapsed with a spear through its skull. The soldier held the spear tightly as the snake fell into death throws.

"Thank you," Yugi said weakly.

The man ignored him. "You're horse is long gone, by now and no one is inclined to have a traitor to the Pharaoh ride with us. You'll be riding with that thief for the rest of the trip."

The man called out to his comrades in front of them and the whole procession was ground to a halt. Yugi was grabbed by his upper arm and dragged to the front of the group. He was picked up and unceremoniously thrown over the saddle in front of Bakura.

"Oh shut up," Yugi muttered when he saw the thief's lips twitch into a smirk.

Yugi hauled himself up so that he was at least sitting up straight and ended up leaning against Bakura for extra support despite the heat. The sun was beginning the last phase of its journey across the sky when the remains of some buildings came into sight.

"We'll have to stop here," Bakura said. It was the first thing that he had said since Yugi had joined him, with the exception of giving directions to Atem.

"We're nearly there," Atem protested. "We aren't going to stop now. We should stay in the village for the night."

"We can't. I could," Bakura said. "But the rest of you would not wake up the next morning. It is best that you go into this well rested. I don't want to have to work to keep the spirits away anymore than I have to."

It didn't take them long to set up camp. There were only about twenty people in total and soon sleeping blankets were rolled out and everyone sat down for a meal of dried meat and bread. Yugi's hands had been bound the moment that he had been lifted down from the horse which made eating rather difficult. A gust of wind tossed some sand into the air and Yugi shivered a little. He missed having a tent and a lamp to read by. The moon cast everything in a bright surreal glow making it harder to sleep.

Yugi let his eyes fall closed as he leaned back and tried to doze. His two guards were a few metres away, chatting amongst themselves with the rest of the people in the group. He fell asleep shivering.

It was late at night when a rustling sound woke him up. Yugi didn't let himself stir as weight was added to the blanket that was already there. Yugi cracked open his eyes as he heard quiet footsteps heading away from him. Framed against the moonlight was Bakura, who was making his way back over to where his guards lay. Though they were awake, they did not seem to have even noticed him missing. Yugi couldn't help but smile a bit at this as he snuggled under the extra blanket. It was only moments before he fell back to sleep. He would have no memory of the incident when he woke up the next morning.

Yugi let out a yelp as he was roughly shaken awake. His eyes opened to a burning early morning sun.

"It's time to leave," the guard said simply.

Yugi sat up and yawned. He stretched, felt his stiff joints pop as the two blankets fell away from his torso.

"What?" he murmured. "I could have sworn that I only went to sleep with one..."

They set off with Yugi once again seated back in front of Bakura, who was already tied up again. Yugi leaned back again to help steady himself on the horse.

Yugi could feel the village long before they reached it. His blood ran cold as strong pangs of sorrow rolled out in constant waves. Yugi's body stung with a mild form of pins and needles in time with the pulse of the corrupt shadow magic. An echo of the feeling of dread settled over his figure and he subconsciously hunched as if to defend himself from it.

He glanced to his side. According to the grim look on Atem's face, he wasn't the only one who felt it. Yugi looked up and saw that Bakura's face had a harsher look than usual as well. The look only darkened with every step they took towards the place.

"It's time to stop," Bakura said suddenly. "From here on, we'll go on foot. I only can take a few people with me. They will be Yugi, Atem and Seto."

"What about the guards?" Atem asked.

"They will have to stay here," Bakura said grimly. "Their presence will agitate the spirits."

"You just want-" Seto started.

"That is fine with me," Atem said.

"But, my Pharaoh," Mahado protested.

"If this is the way it has to be, then so be it." Atem stepped down from his horse. "Well?"

"I need to be untied first," Bakura said dryly. "Or else we aren't going anywhere."

Atem hesitated for a moment and then nodded to one of the men. The guard stepped forward and quickly cut Bakura's bonds loose. The thief rubbed his chaffed wrists as soon as he was free to do so. He slid off the horse and onto the ground. Yugi slipped off of the horse's back and almost fell to the ground. He steadied himself beside Bakura. Atem and Seto joined them and they began the short hike up to the village.

Yugi winced as they entered the dilapidated village. The waves of corrupt magic were actually starting to hurt now. Between the crumbling houses, he could see spirits drifting here and there. In front of them skeletal remains began to rise out of the ground armed with swords and began to advance towards them. Bakura threw out his hand and they fell still. The spirits that were beginning to drift towards them lost interest in everyone except Bakura.

Yugi felt the pangs dissipate though the sensation of sorrow remained. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes and saw Atem and Seto relax slightly as well.

"I've convinced them to leave you alone for now," Bakura said. "We are going to head to the village centre, take a look and then leave. We are not going to stop until we get to the communal building."

Yugi swallowed hard. This was it. Part of him really didn't want to be here. Bakura set off at a swift pace without a glance over his shoulder to see if they were following. Yugi and the others just stood there for a moment, before he dashed forward to catch up with the thief.

Unlike the other buildings around it, central building was almost completely intact. Yugi ducked inside after Bakura. The huge room was lit up by natural light coming from the windows. Sand that had crept in over the years of disuse made the room feel musty. Bakura ignored all of this and instead lead them to the centre of the floor. He wiped some of the sand away and uncovered a rope handle.

With a heave he pulled open the hatch. Yugi wondered if he was the only one who had seen Bakura's hesitation. A set of stairs appeared and Bakura immediately began to make his way down it. Yugi almost gagged as the strong smell of old blood hit his nose. He followed Bakura down the stairs nonetheless and heard the other two behind him do the same.

It was pitch dark down at the bottom. Bakura reached out and grabbed a torch with the type of experience limited only to that which one gained from growing up in the same place. He struck a light and then threw it in surprise.

Yugi peered over his shoulder, in time to see the Celtic Guardian get hit in the face with the torch.

"Diabound!" At once the cavern was full of the body of Bakura's huge Ka. "Spiral Shockwave!"

The Celtic Guardian was immediately blown away with a yelp.

Bakura turned and shot an exhilarated smirk at the group. Yugi's hand wandered up to rest on his chest as his heart clenched hard at the thief's expression. He frowned and rubbed that spot long after the discomfort disappeared. Bakura picked up the torch and walked around the room lighting all the other torches in the room.

Yugi let out a gasp as the room was revealed by the flickering light of the torches. In the centre of the room was what appeared to be a sarcophagus. Yugi approached it and saw that there was a mould for each of the Millennium items. There was a gigantic cauldron beside the sarcophagus. Yugi stepped up to its rim and looked inside. He immediately stumbled backwards in surprise. Bile welled up in his throat. A mixture of gold and human flesh still remaining in the cauldron. It remained melted and the human flesh fresh despite the coolness of the room.

"Bakura?" Yugi turned his back on the cauldron to face the thief. "How long has it been since you were down here?"

"Not since the night that it happened." Bakura stepped over to the cauldron.

"Don't look in the pot," Yugi said as the thief walked towards him. "Please."

"Tch," Bakura ignored Yugi's advice and looked in.

His hands tightened around the rim of the cauldron and he quickly glanced away from the contents. His whole body tensed as if in preparation to tip it over, before he regained control of himself. Bakura folded his arms and walked over to the nearest wall and sat against it. Yugi nervously went over to him and leaned against the wall as well.

He looked up into Bakura's eyes and saw little of the life that usually shone there. The archaeologist cautiously he reached out to touch the thief's shoulder. Bakura pulled away slightly, leaving Yugi's hand hanging. Atem and Seto paid little mind to them and continued to explore the room. Blood splatters decorated the walls and the floor held scattered heaps of the bones of several soldiers who were not able to make it back from the ritual.

"Over here, my Pharaoh," Seto called. "I have found something. It seems that the thief is indeed telling the truth."

The high priest held up a blood splattered old tome. The page it was open to held a detailed spell that, at least Yugi assumed it would, require the sacrifice of ninety-nine souls.


	11. Chapter 10

"Can we leave now?" Yugi asked. The shape and atmosphere of the chamber made his voice come out a little muffled.

Pharaoh Atem turned to Bakura. "So you are on our side now?"

"As long as it suits my goals. My goal is revenge against the man who sanctioned this done to my people."

Pharaoh Atem smiled. "Welcome to our side then."

"I still hate you," Bakura snapped. "Let's go."

The thief turned and headed up the steps, not even bothering to douse the torches. Yugi ran up after him.

Yugi ended up riding back with Bakura, whom was no longer tied up. It was a long and awkward trip home. Neither of them spoke, though the thief didn't protest the fact that Yugi was with him. Ra was slowly starting to sink over the horizon by the time that they finally arrived back. Mahado, Mana and the rest of the priests were out waiting to greet them.

None of them made any comment on the fact that Bakura and Yugi were untied. Atem ended up leading everyone who had come on the journey to a large feast. It was late in the evening before Yugi finally retired to his room. The door had been rebuilt in his absence, and to the casual observer it looked as if nothing had happened there. He collapsed on the bed fully intent on falling asleep immediately.

He soon realised that this wasn't going to happen. Yugi found himself watching the light from the moon move slowly across his ceiling. His mind continued to buzz and finally he found himself getting out of bed. Yugi slipped out of his room, marvelling at the lack of guards in the halls. It was obvious then that he was at least forgiven, though he doubted that Atem would ever trust him again.

Yugi continued unhindered until he reached the exit from the palace into the gardens.

"Halt!" one of the two guards commanded. "We are under the orders of the Pharaoh to let no one inside or out of the palace unless he decries it himself!"

"I will allow this." Yugi jumped at the voice coming from behind him.

"My Pharaoh!" the two guards fell to their knees and bowed.

Yugi turned and was about to do the same. When Atem grabbed him gently be the arm.

"I need to talk to you. Will you come for a walk with me in the gardens?"

"S-sure," Yugi mumbled. "I was about to do that anyway."

With a nod to the guards, Atem led him into the garden. Yugi enjoyed the sensation of the cool night air on his hot skin and allowed it to relax him as they walked. They walked in silence until they came to the very bench where they had begun their friendship such a short time ago. With a gesture from Atem, Yugi gingerly sat down. The Pharaoh sat down beside him, seemingly unaware of Yugi's nervousness.

Finally, Yugi couldn't hold back anymore. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I want to know why you betrayed me," Atem said after another few moments of silence.

Yugi swallowed hard. "I didn't mean to. At the time I was confused. Bakura had told me what had happened to his village, and I felt that he was telling the truth. When I met you that day, I felt that you were telling the truth as well. Then I found out that Seto... or at least I thought it was Seto at the time was gathering people with Ka and forcing them to fight each other until they became as strong as possible. And then, he would kill them and seal them into stone slabs."

He told the story from start to finish including the fact that Aknadin had come after him in his room. When he finally fell silent, Atem had a contemplative look on his face.

"Yugi," he said. "Who was your loyalty to first? Me? Or Bakura?"

"Bakura. He is the one who saved me from certain death, even though it was only because he thought that I had information that could help him kill you."

"Did you?"

"No. And I am sorry for betraying you."

Atem sighed and shifted slightly. "Yugi, you didn't betray me. I'd like to think of it as though you saw the truth before everyone else."

Yugi and Atem continued to chat long into the night unaware of who exactly was watching them. Bakura was only just down the hall from Yugi and had heard his door open. He had intended to find out where he was going and confront him, but had held back once the Pharaoh had gotten involved. He had slipped past the guards and followed them.

There he had listened in the shadows a short ways away from them as they talked. If Yugi was keeping something from him, he had the right to know.

"It's getting late," he heard Atem say.

Yugi laughed. "More like early. The sun's going to rise soon."

"We'd better both go to bed. Mahado is going to be teaching the people that Seto rounded up to summon their Ka as well as you and Mana. We are going to see if we can rope Bakura in to help."

"I don't think he will."

"I have something that could convince him," Atem said quietly.

"He'll be pretty mad."

Atem just shook his head and returned his gaze to the sky above. Yugi hesitated for a moment and then held up the hand that was not broken. He caught the Pharaoh's eye and curled it into a fist. Atem looked confused.

Yugi blushed in embarrassment and scratched the back of his head. "You make a fist and bump it. It signifies friendship where I come from. ... Are we still friends?"

Atem smiled and bumped Yugi's fist with his own. "Yes. I believe that we are."

As they turned around to head inside, Bakura seethed with fury and confusion. He was furious over what had just happened. The problem was, he didn't know why. Why was he so angry when Yugi smiled and looked at the Pharaoh? Why did it make him even angrier when Yugi told Atem something about his world that he hadn't told Bakura? Why should it matter? Grumbling under his breath, Bakura stalked off.

Yugi groaned as someone banged on his door. After the late night, it felt like he had just barely fallen asleep.

"G' 'way," he mumbled as the banging became more insistent.

"I'm coming in now," sang a familiar voice.

Before Yugi even had a chance to register who it was, his door was knocked open with a bang. He groaned as Mana eagerly jumped on his bed.

"Come on! Today we get to learn how to summon," Mana chirped. "Mahado is putting us with the group of people that Seto was protecting. That thief is helping out as well."

"Bakura said yes?" Yugi was fully awake now.

"You already knew? Aww. I wanted to be the one to tell you," Mana got off his bed with a pout.

"Atem beat you to it," Yugi chuckled. "Now out with you! I need to get dressed."

"Fine," Mana practically danced out of the room.

It turned out that they were gathering outside of the palace as there was such a large group to attend to. Mahado and Bakura weren't the only ones teaching. The other priests, Siamun and Atem were also there.

"I've suspended all court matters until further notice," Atem said standing at the front of the class. "This is because what we are about to teach you is of utmost importance to the defence of this country. A time of prophecy is at hand. Priestess Isis has seen it with her Necklace. Very soon, we will need all of you to serve me against an ancient foe that threatens to tear this country into ruins.

"Now you may be wondering why we have chosen you, out of everyone else. I am sure that some of you are aware that you have Ka sleeping inside your souls that can be used for battle."

A murmur rose up from the crowd.

"That is right. What has until now been left to those highly gifted in shadow magic will now be taught to you," Atem said. "Do any of you want to go home?"

The crowd was silent.

"How many of you want to fight?"

A cheer went up from the crowd.

Atem smiled. "Good. Now I will have someone that may be known to some of you, and unknown to others demonstrate a Ka summoning. Bakura, if you please?"

Bakura stepped forward and smirked as a hush of surprise fell onto the crowd. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. The air above him warped and Diabound roared as he appeared before the masses.

"Diabound! Spiral shockwave!" the mighty Ka roared and shot its attack over the heads of the crowd

People in the crowd let out screams of surprise and terror as Bakura cackled.

Atem stared at him angrily. "That was unnecessary."

"But it was fun," Bakura replied.

Atem raised his hand into the air and at once the crowd fell silent. "Bakura has joined us willingly and is willing to teach you how to summon your own Ka. We will be training you on how to use them and how to strengthen them over the next few weeks."

"We will be dividing everyone into six groups," Seto continued over the crowd. "The rest of the class will be conducted in those."

Isis and Siamun stepped into the crowd and began to separate them into the groups. Yugi ended up with Bakura. The thief smirked as he glanced around the circle that had formed in front of him.

"There is only one way that you can summon your Ka in the time that we have to learn," Bakura said. "There are two different ways that a person could learn how to do this. You either have to meditate for months and sometimes even years to achieve this. Or you can learn the quick way by using your emotions in order to bring them forth."

"What's the difference?" came a call from the circle.

"With meditation, you can summon your Ka whenever you feel like it. If you use emotions as your base, you can only summon them when you are in an emotional state. You are going to be using your Ka on the field of battle. This won't be a problem."

"Each Ka will gain a special ability that reflects the person's personality. For example. Diabound!"

The mighty Ka swooped up in the air and dove right into the centre of the circle and vanished into the ground. Many took a step back in fear.

"I am a thief and the best at it. Diabound shows this by being able to go through walls and into the ground as well."

Diabound appeared away from the group and swooped back up into the air.

"Now that you are all in a terrified state, concentrate on wanting to defend yourself and those that you care about and think about what about your personality stands out the most."

Yugi couldn't help but roll his eyes despite the frantic pounding of his heart. Bakura was definitely enjoying this. He closed his eyes and concentrated. What stood out most about him? He didn't like to study that much but he loved history. Was it that he didn't much like fighting?

"Feel around for that part of you that would fight no matter what was happening to you," Bakura said.

Yugi frowned. That was just as vague as some of what Mahado would say when he was teaching.

"Yugi!" Bakura suddenly said. "Come up to the front and help me demonstrate."

Yugi hesitantly walked up to Bakura. How could he help demonstrate? He didn't even have a monster in his soul yet thanks to the sheer power of his shadow magic. At least that was according to Mahado when he had asked. Apparently the more powerful a person was in that, the harder it was to get in touch with their Ka. There was no real explanation for why this was, but it was what occurred.

"Now! Diabound!" Bakura shouted.

The Ka roared and swooped down at Yugi. Yugi let out a yelp and subconsciously summoned a shield of shadow magic to protect himself. Powered by his fear, it was by far the strongest that Yugi had ever created. Diabound slammed into it, knocking Yugi to his knees. To his shock though, the shield held.

Bakura looked unsurprised. "Diabound. Spiral shockwave. Aim at his shield and fire just until it breaks."

"Urgh," Yugi grunted as the attack hit his shield. Within seconds, his shield began to crack and then shattered. Yugi fell face first into the ground. He groaned and hauled himself onto his hands and knees. He looked up to see Bakura staring at him.

"Tch," the thief turned away from him.

"What was that?" Yugi muttered under his breath. "Is he mad at me?"

By the time that Yugi staggered to his feet, Bakura was explaining how most of the people who possessed copious amounts of shadow magic weren't in tune with their Ka.

"The important thing to know is that everyone who has a little bit of shadow magic has one," Bakura said. "It's just that you are those people with enough shadow magic to summon them, but not so much that you fall out of tune with them. Yugi here is a student of Mahado's. He will be one of the last of this group to summon his Ka because of this."

"So," Bakura said. "Let's try this again. Think of what I told you before."

The group collectively closed their eyes and concentrated. Yugi searched around inside of him, but all that he felt was the buzzing of his shadow magic under his skin. He felt a slight pulse of power and looked up. The air in front of one of the men was warping. After a few more seconds, the small Ka fell through.

"Baby Dragon," Yugi muttered.

Bakura looked pleased. "You are the first of everyone here to summon your Ka. It is weak, but with training that shall change. It will also become easier to summon with practice."

The man's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed. The Baby Dragon disappeared almost immediately.

"I forgot to mention this, but you will feel exhausted after the first time that you summon your Ka," Bakura said.

There was a call for a break and everyone was sent inside the palace for the midday meal. Yugi yawned as he waited in line in a room that must normally be used for hosting parties. One more man in their group had summoned their Ka, though Yugi himself had not felt so much as a stirring of his soul. None of the other groups had experienced nearly as much success. Yugi was sure that this was due more to Bakura's unorthodox teaching style than anything else.

Yugi had glanced around many times during Bakura's lesson and noticed that none of the others who were teaching had summoned their Ka and used it to terrorize their students. Instead they had seemed to focus on wilfully working their students up to the point that they summoned their Ka with little success.

When they broke for lunch, Yugi tried to approach Bakura a couple of times, but the thief seemed to be giving him the silent treatment. The only other reaction he had garnered from the thief was a slight sneer earlier. He finally reached the front of the line and got his food.

"Yugi!" Mana waved frantically at him from across the room.

He smiled and went over to her. They ended up walking outside into the hall and sitting against the wall.

"How did training go?" Yugi asked.

"Great!" Mana chirped. "I may not have summoned my Ka, but I definitely felt it stir when I called it. How about you?"

"I did about as well as expected," Yugi sighed. "Nothing happened. Also Bakura has been acting strangely today."

"How?" Mana asked.

"I don't know. He's brash, stubborn and rude, but he usually talks to me," Yugi said. His stomach flip-flopped at the thought. Yugi frowned to himself. Maybe there was something in the food?

Yugi jumped in surprise when Mana gave him a short hug.

"Do you have any idea why he is acting like that?"

"No."

"Well maybe he's just in a bad mood?"

"Maybe..." Yugi mumbled.

As the days went by, Bakura remained the same. Yugi still didn't know what he had done wrong. Every time that Yugi tried to talk to him, Bakura would either not reply, sneer at him, or walk away.

Finally, two weeks into the training, everyone had summoned their Ka in Bakura's group except Yugi. He ended up joining Seto's group. Bakura took charge of all of those that had summoned their Ka, which was well over half of all the people training. Together, he and Mahado were running mock battles and endurance training for them.

Yugi sighed and looked back at the ever-shrinking group around him. Mana hadn't been successful either. Once again he concentrated on his emotions, specifically on how bothered he was that Bakura wasn't talking to him at the moment. He stacked annoyance after annoyance on top of each other including the fact that he was frustrated with getting no results for his efforts, how the sun felt on his hot, dusty body, and how he really didn't want to be the last to be able to summon his Ka. Yugi turned all of these feelings inward and jumped when he felt a slight fluttering in his soul. His face broke out in a wide grin. It wasn't much, but at least it was progress.

It was after dinner when Yugi caught sight of the thief again

Yugi lay on his bed that night staring at the ceiling and fuming. Why was Bakura ignoring him? What did he do wrong?

Yugi finally felt mad enough to confront Bakura in a place where the other man couldn't avoid him. He slipped out of bed and pulled on his clothes before padding down the corridor to the thief's room. Yugi tried to open his door only to find that it was locked.

"As if that would keep me out," Yugi muttered.

With a twist of his shadow magic, he more felt than heard the simple lock pop on the door. He pushed it gently and much to his relief the door swung open silently. Bakura had a lot to answer for.


	12. Chapter 11

Yugi glanced around the room, and noted that it was virtually identical to his. On the bed lay Bakura who was pretty much dead to the world. Yugi stepped over to where the thief lay. He held back a laugh when he saw the man's face. Even in his sleep Bakura still had a frown on his face.

Yugi frowned, trying to figure out the best way to wake Bakura without getting himself injured. The thief was definitely the type to stab first and ask questions later. As he was debating this, a hand shot out and pinned him to the bed. A knife dangled over his face with Bakura smirking overhead. He raised it high and Yugi felt himself freeze in fear and surprise. The thief cackled as he swung down. Yugi shut his eyes as the knife halted a hair's breadth away from his face. When no blow came, Yugi cracked open one eye and then the other, to meet Bakura's annoyed eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, before Bakura tossed aside the knife.

"Leave," Bakura said. He released Yugi's arms.

"Not until I find out why you have been avoiding me lately."

"Well, you'll have to leave here without answers then," Bakura said. "And I have not been avoiding you."

With that, he picked Yugi up and tossed him none too gently out in the hall. As he sat up and rubbed his back, Bakura slammed his door. Yugi sighed, annoyed as he heard the door lock once more.

"It's not like I can't get through that," Yugi said aloud to no one in particular.

He picked himself up and dusted off his clothes. With determination, he sent his shadow magic into the lock, forcing it to release its hold on the frame. Yugi pushed open the door, only to find Bakura's glaring face on the other side.

"What do you want?" the thief snarled at him.

"To understand," Yugi said simply. "You're mad at me about something. What did I do?"

"You should know."

"How could I possibly know if you don't tell me?" Yugi said exasperated.

The thief was silent for a moment. Yugi felt his heart speed up a little as the other took a step forward right into Yugi's personal space.

"The Pharaoh has no right, you know," Bakura said quietly. Yugi felt several butterflies flutter in his stomach as the thief stepped closer. "After all, you were mine first."

"B-Bakura?" Yugi said.

The thief took another step forward with a strange look on his face. Yugi backed right up until he hit a wall. Bakura's hand shot out and smacked beside Yugi's head. Yugi tried to shuffle sideways in response, but Bakura's other hand was immediately there to stop him.

"Yes. How dare he...," Bakura muttered.

Yugi opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't his, only to have nothing come out. The strange glint in Bakura's eyes seemed to intensify. Yugi stared right back up at him, confused. The thief's lips twitched upwards into a smirk. He grabbed Yugi's chin and forced him to look straight into his eyes. Yugi barely had time to wonder what Bakura was doing before he found himself pulling the thief forward into a kiss.

Bakura's body froze in surprise and Yugi pulled away quickly. "Bakura I-"

The thief shoved him. Yugi fell and felt his head crack against the wall. His vision swam and he slowly felt around to the back of his head. It came away wet. Even in the dark he knew that it was blood.

Bakura hurried back into his room and slammed the door shut. Yugi sighed. It seemed that he wasn't the only one that found his own actions unexpected. His uninjured hand moved to his lips of its own accord and brushed against his mouth. Despite all the confusion swirling around in his veins, he couldn't help but notice that the thief's lips had been much softer than he had imagined.

The next day the thief gave no indication of what had happened the night before and continued to ignore him as usual. Yugi was for once fine with this as he had no intention of talking to the other after what had happened. He had decided that he just wanted them to be friends.

'The Pharaoh has no right.' Yugi didn't really know what had got into Bakura. What had Yugi done to make him so mad? More importantly what had gotten into him that had made him kiss the thief?

"Okay, so maybe I know the answer to the last question."

"Yugi?" He let out an unmanly yelp and turned to see Mana staring at him with curiosity.

"Are you okay?"

Yugi sighed. "I'm fine."

"Really?"

"No," Yugi said. "Bakura just won't talk to me. He wouldn't even reply when I told him that I had finally summoned my Ka!"

"Oh what is it?" Mana asked eagerly.

Yugi sighed and with a flick of his shadow magic, Kuriboh appeared at his side.

"It's so cute!" Mana stepped forward and hugged it. Kuriboh chirped in glee as she squeezed it to her chest.

"W-wait Mana! Don't -"

A sound like that of a small explosion echoed through the air. Kuribohs appeared all over the place and floated off trying to explore the palace.

"Hug him too hard," Yugi finished.

He flushed as Bakura himself walked by.

Mana looked at him for a second and then turned to Yugi. "What's got you so sad?"

Yugi sighed. "Oh nothing. Just a bit of a headache."

Yugi reached up and rubbed the bump that had resulted from his fall against the wall with a wince. He'd bathed right after it had stopped bleeding, but it had left his temples pounding. Mana stared at him. Or to be more specific where Yugi's hand was.

"How did you hit your head?"

Yugi opened his mouth to tell her that he had fallen out of bed and hit his head on the wall, but instead found himself telling her the whole truth. She crouched there, a frown replacing her usual smile as he recanted the entire story to her.

"So you ended up kissing him? And then he shoved you into a wall?" Mana said blankly.

"I'm sure that it was an accident," Yugi said.

"You like him, don't you," It was more of a statement than anything.

"M-maybe. I don't know," Yugi hugged his knees to his chest. "It's just every time that I have seen him lately, I feel nauseous and I feel more awkward than usual talking to him."

"You do then," she said. "I can't say that I approve."

"What? Why?"

"He shoved you into a wall, Yugi. You've also mentioned that he has tried to kill you how many times?"

"It's not like his heart was in it," Yugi murmured. "I've seen him when he is. He's very thorough."

"Just be careful, okay? If he hurts you, I will put him out of commission myself," she said.

Yugi smiled. "Thanks, Mana. But I'm also worried about him," Yugi continued. "He's been too calm lately. I think that he's somehow bottling it up. He's almost always angry and I just see him sitting there calmly at meals with a blank look on his face."

You don't have to worry about that at least," Mana replied. "He's been working us all really hard and seems to enjoy tormenting us."

"Still," Yugi said. "He enjoyed tormenting me and was still his irascible self."

"... Maybe he spent only a little bit of his temper on you but now that he has a bunch of us as his students he spends a little of it on all of us so that at the end of the day he's calm?"

Yugi stared at the wall. "I hope so."

Mana got up and offered a hand to Yugi. He took it and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "In any case, we should probably get going."

-0-

The morning dawned bright and clear. Flowers swayed gently in the breeze thanks to the storm last night. Yugi stepped outside, amazed at what the rainstorms had brought.

"Lovely, isn't it?"

Yugi let out a shriek of surprise and turned to see Atem standing there.

"Y-yes, it is," he said weakly. "I can't help but think that it is the calm before the storm though."

"It is," Atem replied. "Scouts have spotted Akhenaden headed this way. He should be here by sunset. I'm giving everyone the day off. So if you have something that you want to do, now would be the time to do it."

Yugi's mind flashed to the stone tablet that had brought him here in the first place. He knew that it was time. "Thanks, Atem. Have you seen Bakura anywhere?"

"No, I haven't, Yugi," Atem replied. "Why?"

"He and I had an argument and I haven't been able to take him aside for a talk."

"I wish I could help you look for him, but I don't have time right now."

"That's alright. I understand. I'll try to find him before the battle starts," Yugi took off running towards the castle.

"Make sure that you get some rest at least, Yugi," Atem called. "This isn't going to be over quickly."

"I will," Yugi didn't even bother to pause.

As he raced through the halls, he could feel the atmosphere of unease seeping into the corners of the palace. Everywhere, people were talking about the upcoming battle. Yugi brushed past the small healer's ward that he had been brought to when he had broken his wrist. It was not so small anymore. The place was already full of beds, with narrow aisles in between them. He noted that men and women were setting up cots in the halls and his blood ran cold. This... was really happening wasn't it? When he had agreed to help Atem if he was still in Egypt at the time that their final doom fell upon them, he had never really expected to be see this day.

"Yugi?" Yugi yelped in surprise.

He turned to find Mana standing there. Her usual smile had been replaced by a grimace and she just looked tired overall. Yugi couldn't help but wonder if he looked just as worn out. "Sorry. I'm a little jumpy. I guess you heard...?"

"Yeah. I'm going to go find Mahado," she declared. "Are you coming?"

Yugi shook his head. "I have to find Bakura. I don't want us to go into this without at least having made things right between us."

"I'm sorry Yugi, but Bakura took off this morning with one of the final scouting parties. He won't be back until just before the battle begins," Mana replied.

"Damn it," Yugi swore, surprising himself. He didn't swear that often.

Mana looked at him in surprise. "Well you can always wait for him. There are a few guards' posts along the wall. You can always ask to go up there."

"I'll see you later then?" Yugi said.

"Of course," Mana said. Then she stepped forward and threw her arms around him. "Just in case something happens."

Yugi felt his lips quirk into a smile, summoning up confidence that he didn't really feel. "Don't worry. I think that we have a good chance of winning this thing."

"I hope so," Mana said and let him go. "See you later."

"I'll count on that," Yugi watched her run off.

Yugi walked along the wall on the inside of the garden. He wouldn't have found it if he hadn't been running his hand along the wall. His shadow magic ended up tripping the sensor and a wall panel slid open to reveal a staircase that wound up the inside of the wall. He peaked around the corner.

"Hello?" he called up and waited for an answer.

"Who's there?" A man called back.

"Is there any way I can stand watch with you?"

"That's against regulations."

"Please!"

"Sorry kid, we're all just as anxious as you. Go make sure that you are prepared for what you will face ahead."

Yugi twitched at the kid comment and then sighed. "Thanks anyway."

Yugi decided to take Atem's advice and headed back to his room for a nap, but quickly found himself staring at the ceiling as the day began to pass too quickly yet at the same time far too slowly for his tastes. The tension around the castle and from himself made it impossible to sleep.

Finally it was late afternoon. Yugi got up off his bed and began to get ready. He hesitated when his hand brushed over the handle of the sword leaning against the wall. Should he bring it? Yugi didn't even know how to use thing past the knowledge that it was better to dodge an attack than parry it and which end he was supposed to hold. On the other hand, if there was a situation where he wouldn't be able to use his shadow magic, it would be useful to have at least something to defend himself with. He strapped it to his waist and put on his sandals. Yugi straightened his ensemble and double checked to make sure that his sword would stay where it was supposed to be. He was ready.

Yugi poked at the food on his plate, not quite sure what to do with it. He had been hungry when he had begun his journey towards the kitchen, but now he just felt sick. His stomach rolled as he tore off a piece of bread and stuck it in his mouth. It went down like sandpaper. Knowing that he would need his strength, Yugi forced his meal down one bite after another and headed outside.

People were already milling about in front of the castle. He glanced around wildly, eyes searching out for a flash of white hair, only to remain disappointed. Finally at the calls of the soldiers, everyone began to line up. Yugi was pulled to the third line from the front by a burly looking soldier. He was pushed forward and ended up right beside the people who he had trained with.

The woman beside him gave him a nervous smile when he looked at her, and he felt as if his face would creak when he returned it.

Yugi shifted impatiently. One of the things that they didn't really recount in many of the manga and novels that he had read as a teenager was how much waiting there was until the battle actually started. It was shortly before sun down when a shadow was spotted on the horizon. Cries when up in the crowd and Yugi joined in eagerly. It was the last scouting party. For not the first time, Yugi cursed his short stature. Even if the people of Egypt were shorter than the average was in his time, he was still shorter than at least half of them.

Another shout went up. This time it was because of a second, much larger shadow had encompassed the first. Yugi squeezed his eyes closed at the knowledge and took a deep, calming breath. He glanced to the woman beside him only to see his own fear staring back.

"I can see how scared you are right now," Atem said. It was clear that he had amplified his voice with a spell. Immediately, everyone's attention was turned towards him. "I can't blame you for that. Instead I ask you to close your eyes and remember who you are fighting for. Your brothers, sisters, parents, homes and country all are depending on you now. We shall not falter in face of this adversity, but instead go forward as our parents and grandparents did. Onto victory!"

The army roared its approval. Yugi jumped up in order to spot the scouting party. Instead his veins turned to ice. While he could tell the difference between them and the army behind them, Yugi couldn't help but wonder how Akhenaden had amassed one so quickly. His knees began to tremble, as if they were trying to coax the rest of his body to flee and save himself.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the scouting party finally made it to the front lines. He could feel his hands beginning to shake and he turned his head away to the side.

"Bakura?"

The thief turned and looked at him. A feral grin encompassed his features. "I'm going to finally be able to get my revenge. Isn't that great, Yugi?"

Yugi flinched at the manic edge of his voice. "Yes, it is. I've got to tell you something. I was going to tell you earlier today, but you weren't here-"

And suddenly they were charging. Bakura let out a yell of his own as they began to rush forward, Diabound took to the skies. Yugi closed his eyes and a moment later Kuriboh joined him.

"That puffball? You have got to be kidding me," Bakura laughed when he spotted it.

"Oh shut up," Yugi huffed. He was too happy to have the thief talking to him again to protest that the man had not acknowledged what he wanted to say. Instead he shot Bakura a smile and then focused on the battle ahead of them.

There was a grand pause before the two armies clashed and suddenly there was blood everywhere. Overhead in the skies, Ka shot down attacks on the opposing army as a dark cloud that had nothing to do with the setting sun began to spread across the sky. A man rushed at him. Yugi dodged his frantically swinging sword and brought him down with a flash of shadow magic. He didn't have time to even pause as another took his place.

Bakura quickly became separated from Yugi and raced to the very front of the battle. He drew his sword and slashed through the nearest man. The stench of death hung in the air along with the sounds of battle. A sick giddiness began to roll through his body as he cut down man after man, while Diabound cut down the Ka in the sky with his spiral shock wave. Deep down though, he had to wonder. Why hadn't Akhenaden/Zorc stolen the rest of the Items? There was no way that he would be able to summon the ultimate evil without all of them.

Bakura began to fight in earnest now, determined to reach the man himself before he could carry out whatever plan that he had up his sleeve. Just because Akhenaden was crazy, didn't mean that Zorc was. It was clear that the presence of the other army was no more than to weaken Egypt's forces so that he could take the capital. Bakura would love to see the Pharaoh lose his precious home, but right now was the time to worry about the one responsible for slaughtering his village.

Yugi glanced around frantically and almost subconsciously summoned his shadow magic to block an attack coming at his side. The force of the attack sent him stumbling and he tripped backwards over a corpse. Yugi panicked and sprang to his feet before his foe could finish him off. He sent his magic ahead of him and the man groaned as it penetrated his body where Yugi knew it would split open all of his major arteries and veins.

He turned and drew his sword, aware that if he kept using shadow magic so generously, he would soon be dead from exhaustion. Yugi flinched as he saw the woman that had been standing by him earlier shriek and fall to the ground as her Ka was cut down. Yugi let out a cry of his own and grimly pressed on.

How long had the battle lasted now. Minutes, hours, days? It felt like an unending monotony of sheer horror in Yugi's eyes. Kuriboh huddled close to his master, not really being needed yet. He took a step back and bumped into a body. He whirled around and almost stabbed Atem.

"S-sorry!" Yugi shouted.

Atem waved his forgiveness and together they began to battle their way up to the front, the battle lines having long since fallen to disarray. Yugi lost his sword somewhere along the lines and fell to using just his shadow magic as a defence. Behind him Kuriboh chirped.

Atem and Yugi finally made their way to where Akhenaden was standing. He cackled madly as the battle raged around him. They stopped, unsure how to engage the crazed man with four Millennium Items. Yugi glanced to the side and saw that the three remaining priests were nearby fighting off more men as well as the multitudes of Ka floating in the air. He suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.

A white blur rushed past him and with a rustle of wind, Diabound swooped overhead. Bakura roared as he charged down the slight incline towards Akhenaden. The man paid no mention, but just continued laughing as a contingent of men cut the enraged thief off.

"I was always bitter," the man started as he headed towards Atem. "After all, why should Akhnamkhanen have been the one to get the throne? He may have been the older brother, but I was clearly the wiser choice. He was foolish, always wanting to believe in the good of people. Well look around you and see what his beliefs lead us too! I may be too old to take the throne, but my son, will be the perfect man to follow in my footsteps."

Akhenaden stopped a few metres before them. "How foolish of you to fall into my trap, right after my stupid brother."

The former priest opened his hand. The Millennium Items in his possession began to glow. To Atem's surprise, the Millennium Puzzle on his chest began to glow. Yugi turned and watched as Isis' necklace and the Millennium ring both began to glow as well. Atem took a step towards him, but it was already too late. The light the Millennium items flew towards his hand and was absorbed. Atem fell to one knee, clutching his chest, the Millennium Puzzle now nothing more than a useless weight. Yugi glanced at the sky and saw a few other Ka that he knew were controlled by the other priests fall as well.

Akhenaden dashed forward in an attempt to grab the puzzle off of Atem. Yugi stood in front of him and glared, knowing that his magic was no match for the possessed man. Akhenaden read Yugi's weakness in his movements and sent a wave of shadows coursing towards him. Yugi threw up a shield of his own, but had the air knocked out of his lungs as the concussion hit his chest. He flew through the air, hitting the ground and rolling for a few feet before he came to a stop.

Yugi wheezed in a desperate attempt to get air to come into his lungs. Coughing he turned his head towards where Atem was just rising to his feet. Akhenaden tore the Puzzle away from him, causing Atem to choke.

"This is where your life ends, Pharaoh. I'm going to finish you the same way you have finished so many criminals in the past," the former priest said. There was a triumphant smile on his face. "With you out of the way, Seto will be King."

Yugi finally got enough air into his lungs to force his body up into a sitting position.

He opened his mouth. "Kuriboh!"

... Just as Akhenaden shouted "Mind Crush!"


	13. Chapter 12

In a flash there were dozens of Kuriboh floating through the air between the two. Then the attack hit. The wall of Kuriboh squeaked as it held under the relentless attack of the sorcerer. Even then, Yugi felt his soul shake inside of his body as his monster began to absorb the attack. Too soon the wall of Kuriboh began to weaken. One by one, the little fuzz balls began to disintegrate. Yugi winced, feeling each one like a sharp stab on his soul. He staggered to his feet and prayed that the wall would hold.

Just as Akhenaden finished the attack, the wall of Kuriboh completely disintegrated. Yugi was only aware then that the scream that he was hearing, loud and piercing was his own. The world tilted in an almost comical fashion and Yugi fell into darkness.

-0-

"How long until he wakes up?"

"Shouldn't be long now."

Yugi frowned, or at least tried to at the sound of the voices. The muscles on his face felt too heavy to do anything. Was the battle over? Where was he? Did they win? Were Bakura and Atem and the other priests okay? He sucked air into his lungs in a deep breath and opened his eyes. And then snapped them shut at the painfully bright glare that met them.

"Yugi!"

Yugi's eyes snapped open with ease this time to find a blur hanging over him.

"How long was I out?" his voice cracked.

Someone lifted him into a sitting positions and a cup was pressed to his lips. Another hand cradled the back of his head and tipped the blessedly cool water down Yugi's dry throat. The cup was taken away as soon as he had drunk it all and he looked up to see Mana's face hanging over him.

"You were out for two days. They thought that you were going to die!" she exclaimed.

"And what a stupid way it would have been to go too," Yugi turned and saw Bakura sitting on the other side of his cot. "Why would you try to save him?"

"Bakura!" Yugi was half torn between delight in finally seeing the man and annoyance at the fact that he had just insulted Atem.

"Tch," the thief snorted. "Now that I see that you're going to live, I'll take my leave."

"Wait!" Yugi threw his arm out in a vain attempt to stop him. "I need to talk to you."

The thief hesitated and then sat back down. "What is it?"

Yugi turned pleading eyes towards Mana. "Can you give us a minute?"

Mana looked hesitant.

"Please?"

"Alright Yugi," Mana said.

"Thank you."

Mana turned and stalked out of the room. Yugi saw the slump in her shoulders and the droop in her step. What had happened? She looked so worn. As if she had was going to just break down and cry.

He turned to Bakura. "So."

The thief raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think we should just forget what happened between us that night," Yugi said.

"I agree."

"You... do?" Yugi's heart felt like it was splintering.

"I don't feel that way about you," Bakura said simply.

"I-" I was so sure that you felt the same way. Yugi sighed. "I understand. Friends?"

"Yeah, whatever," Bakura grumbled, though he looked pleased.

Yugi took a deep steadying breath. "What happened after I passed out?"

Bakura looked away. "The bastard got away. I'm going to kill him."

"I know," Yugi said. "How about the priests? And Atem?"

"They're all fine," Bakura waved a dismissive hand. "Except Mahado. He's dead."

Yugi gasped. That explained Mana's behaviour. "W-what? Why didn't she tell me?"

Bakura shrugged and then continued. "He had his own Ka out," Bakura's face darkened with rage. "And he killed him."

"So what now?" Yugi asked.

"I'm leaving tonight, if the bastard doesn't attack first, which the others seem to be sure he will. Don't tell the Pharaoh. He wants to keep me here."

"Because of Diabound?" Yugi asked.

"No. Because there's apparently a prophecy that says that I'm the one with the key to defeat Zorc," Bakura said. "I'll defeat him. But by my own terms."

An awkward silence fell between them. Bakura, fuming and Yugi desperately trying to think of something appropriate to say.

"Can I come with you?" Yugi asked.

"No." Bakura got up and left the room.

Yugi sighed and slumped back. "It was worth a shot."

The curtains to his room rustled, announcing another visitor.

Yugi looked up. "You can come back in now, Mana."

"It's Atem, not Mana," Sure enough, Atem stepped around the corner.

"Hello," Atem said. "Your eyes are red."

Yugi laughed weakly. "I've been sleeping too much over the last few days, I guess."

Atem gave him a grim smile and sat down beside him on the bed. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," Yugi replied.

"Akhenaden got away. And he was able to take the Millennium Items off of the priests."

"I heard. Bakura told me."

"Bakura was here?"

"Yup. He left almost right after I woke up," Yugi said.

"Is he still not talking to you?"

Yugi shook his head, fighting back tears. "We made up. I think."

"I see," Atem said. "We agreed that I should be the one to tell this to you. Most of our fighting force was destroyed. All of Zorc's was destroyed, but he has fled to complete his rebirth ritual and he will be back. And this time, I fear that he won't need help to beat us."

"You're serious? All of them?"

Atem nodded. "I will have to send out apologies to their families. I just wish it hadn't had to be this way."

"You know that it isn't your fault right?" Yugi said. "It's Zorc's."

"It was my father's fault and therefore it is my responsibility."

"I understand, but try not to blame yourself," Yugi said. "We'll win in the end."

"I just wish there was another way than to sacrifice innocent lives," Atem replied.

"He did mention why you were so quick to help us. What's this about a prophecy?" Yugi demanded.

Atem didn't flinch at the anger in Yugi's tone. "I can tell you, if you wish."

"Please."

So Atem told him.

-0-

Flashback.

Bakura glared at him from where he sat. Atem couldn't really blame him. He had put up quite a fight against coming here that night, seeing no reason to help the one he so despised more than he had to to get his revenge.

Bakura leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Couldn't this have waited until morning?"

"No," Atem replied. "If we get you to agree to this, you will start helping us tomorrow."

And so Atem told him the prophecy and how he and Seto suspected that Yugi had been sent to help keep him in check. And, of course, about the betrayal that would occur.

"From what I see, Akhenaden isn't our main target. He has recently become possessed by the demon Zorc. If you help us, you will have the clearest chance of finishing him off."

"I would have that chance even if I didn't help you," Bakura sneered.

Atem shook his head. "Not necessarily. That would have been true, even a few weeks ago. But you must remember that he holds all of the Millennium Items now. You will most likely not be able to over power him on your own anymore."

"Can you guarantee that chance?" Bakura asked.

"Of course," Atem replied.

End Flashback.

-0-

"And how exactly am I supposed to balance him?" Yugi said.

"I am not sure. The man who created the prophecy did not speak of how exactly you are supposed to balance him," Atem replied. "But I do know that he is much less violent around you."

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked. "He's threatened to kill me more than once. So you only forgave me because you had to?"

Atem's lips twitched. "No. Both your betrayal and my forgiveness was already predicted by destiny. There is nothing for me to be angry for."

The curtain on the door was pushed aside and Siamun stepped into the room. "My Pharaoh, you are needed in the throne room."

Atem nodded and turned back to Yugi. "Before I go, I want to thank you for saving my life. After this whole business with Zorc is over, I will reward you richly."

Yugi wrung the corner of his blanket with his fingers. "That's not really necessary."

"I insist," Atem said. "I will come by and visit tomorrow."

"Bye," Yugi replied.

Atem left quickly.

"Too bad I won't be here tomorrow," Yugi muttered. He glanced outside. Bakura had mentioned leaving that night but hadn't told him the time. On the other hand, he had a pretty good idea of where he would be headed. He stretched in an attempt to work out the kinks that had formed in his muscles after having slept for two days. Yugi felt better than he had in weeks. His body had been exhausted after all the training and the stress of the battle. The only physical injury that remained were his ribs, which had been bruised by the sheer force of the shock wave even through the shield that Yugi had set between himself and Akhenaden.

He slipped from underneath the covers and gingerly set his feet onto the floor. Yugi took a few steps, wincing when he realised that his legs were wobbling a little. Thankfully the weakness lasted only a few moments and he soon was able to walk with little difficulty. He glanced around and grabbed a tunic off the floor. Calling up his shadow magic, he tested it by conjuring a ball of shadows and tossing it from hand to hand.

Yugi peaked around the corner to find the corridor outside of his room deserted. He allowed his shadows to cover his skin as he dashed down the hallway, not wanting to be caught at what he planned to do.

Yugi crept towards the stables where the horses were kept. Now more than ever, he was grateful that he had finally learned to ride. He drew the shadows back into himself before he headed over the first stall and opened the door. The horse let out a whinny and shied away. The door to the stable creaked open and Yugi heard footsteps coming towards him. Almost reflexively, he summoned his magic and melted in the darkness.

Bakura walked by the stall that he was hiding in, oblivious to his presence. Yugi watched as he coaxed a horse out of its stall. His eyes wandered down the thief's body of their own accord and he felt his body heat up. He wrestled his gaze away and towards the horse that he had been trying to saddle up. Bakura quickly drew his horse out of the stall. He stopped just before the exit.

"You're nosey, you know that Yugi? I know you're there," The thief said in a dark voice. "Do not follow me. You will regret it if you do."

Yugi said nothing and held still. Deciding that he'd gotten his point across Bakura grasped the horse's mane and swung himself up onto its back. Without so much as a glance back to Yugi's direction, he took off into the night.

Yugi waited until the hoof beats had faded into the distance before Yugi turned to guide his horse out of its stall. He struggled a little bit getting onto its back, but the horse was patient and held still through his clumsy attempts. Yugi finally got himself seated properly. He urged the creature forward, picking out the hoofprints of Bakura's horse.

Yugi and his horse were both exhausted by the time that the sun rose the next day. He had had to slow down so that his steed wouldn't run itself to death. A dark shape appeared over the horizon. Yugi squinted. It didn't look like a man on a horse. What was it?

He paled as he finally came close enough to see what was lying there. It was the horse that Bakura had lead out of the stall hours ago with footprints leading away from the carcass. Apparently he had no qualms about riding it to death. Yugi steeled himself. Well, at least he knew that he was still on the right track.

His horse was about to drop itself when he finally saw another shadow in the distance. Yugi's heart sped up and he urged his mode of transportation to go faster. Swiftly, he gained on the figure until he could see that it was indeed Bakura.

The thief was not happy to see him, that much was already clear to Yugi as he dismounted. "What are you doing here?" Bakura snarled. His hand curled into a fist and he raised it as if to strike Yugi, before he regained control of himself.

"Isn't it obvious?" Yugi asked. "I'm here to help you with this because were friends."

"I don't need your help. This is between me and Akhenaden. You would only be a burden."

"That's not true!" Yugi protested. "Besides, I came here following your footprints. I won't be able to find my way back."

"That's your problem. You're not going in with me." Bakura continued walking towards the village ruins which had come into sight along the horizon.

"What are you going to do if I do keep following you?" Yugi asked.

"I'll knock you out and deal with Akhenaden by myself like I said I was going to."

"I'm not helpless!" Yugi protested.

"No. Instead you won't leave me alone to kill him. I need to avenge my family and my friends. Alone."

"But-"

Bakura stopped and turned to look at Yugi, who could see the irritation flickering in his eyes. "I said no!"

Yugi only had time to blink before the thief launched a vicious upper cut towards his face. The pain exploding in his jaw was the last thing that he was aware of before everything went black.

Bakura picked him up off of the ground and threw him over the back of the exhausted horse's back. He jerked the horse's reins to encourage it to follow him and headed towards the ruins in the distance. The hot sun beat down on his back and sweat moistened his brow. As always with the desert, the village appeared closer than it actually was, so the sun was just starting to sink over the horizon when he got there.

He took one last swig from his water pouch as he approached the outskirts of his childhood home. Bakura brought the horse to a halt and tied it to an old post. He pulled Yugi off the horse and set him on the ground. As an afterthought, he placed his skin of water beside the unconscious man, suspecting he wouldn't need it again.

Around him the spirits of his long dead friends and family drifted, whispering of the urgency of his task. Akhenaden had already been in the village centre for a couple of days and he was to undergo the ritual tonight to allow Zorc into the world.

Bakura turned away from Yugi, paused and then turned back for a moment. He frowned as his heart once again lurched on its own as it had been doing so for weeks. He reached forward and stopped just short of brushing his fingers against the unconscious man's face.

"This is all your fault," Bakura muttered. He brought his hand up to his own chest. He glanced up at the spirits drifting around them. "Watch him."

This time he set off without looking back. Bakura raced to the large house in the village centre his feet powered by old rage. Finally, finally he would be able to avenge his mother, father, siblings and friends.

There was an eerie glowing light burning from the entrance of the building. Bakura shuddered, old memories surfacing in his mind of that night. It wasn't a good omen. He skidded down the steps to the bottom, the stench of rot and old blood filled his nose, powering his eagerness for what was about to happen. He released Diabound, and smirked as his faithful companion took to the walls of the building.

Bakura's feet hit the floor and he immediately spotted Akhenaden leaning over the stone tablet, muttering to himself. From where he was standing, he could see that all of the Items excepting the Eye were already in place.

"Akhenaden!" he snarled.

The man paused in his mumbling and turned around. "You!"

"For what you did to my village, I'm going to kill you," Bakura snarled.

Diabound erupted from the floor behind Akhenaden and shot a spiral shockwave at the man. Bakura stood uncaring as the power of his Ka obliterated the ceiling above as a side effect to his attack. Akhenaden merely laughed, having blocked it.

"You, a lowlife thief, would attack me? Do you really think that you have even a chance of winning?"

"Heh," Bakura said. "I will or I'll die trying."

"Then die," Akhenaden said simply and a wave of shadow magic tore across the remnants of the room towards him.

Bakura threw himself to the side to avoid the blast, and Diabound shot towards the man again. He blocked it again.

Akhenaden sent a blast of shadow magic towards him again. And this time, he was too close for Bakura to dodge. The attack hit him full on and he flew backwards and slumped against the wall, stunned.

"I was going to kill you to complete this ritual," Akhenaden murmured in the tone that Bakura had come to associate with Zorc. "But I think that it would be far more cruel to leave you alive until I'm done here."

"Who will be your sacrifice instead?" Akhenaden asked.

"Tut tut, little priest. It should be obvious. You are." Bakura struggled to move, but found shadows encircling his wrists and ankles much too strong for him to break.

"W-what? But our agreement!" the protest came even as Akhenaden's body moved towards the stone.

"Never included negotiations for your safety. Honestly, you mortals, always assuming things are just guaranteed without discussing it in the deal." Zorc sighed.

Akhenaden's hand crept up to his face and with a jerk of his arm, the Eye was wrenched from the socket on his face.

"No. NO!" Bakura bellowed and he struggled even harder. His body bent with the strain of trying to break the shadows imprisoning him. He didn't even flinch when they started to eat into his wrists and ankles in retaliation.

Zorc favoured him with a triumphant smile before he placed the last Item in its place. A deluge of shadows rushed forward from all of the Items and wrapped their arms around Akhenaden. A larger shadow rose from his body and Akhenaden let out a desperate scream as his body and soul were torn apart and pulled into the stone.

The shadows let Bakura free and he stumbled forward. "Diabound!" he screeched as the stone table began to dissolve. Ever loyal, his Ka rose up and began to blast the stone table to no avail. The shadow that replaced it was so dark, it seemed as if the very light of the room was drawn in by its intensity.

It dove towards him and stopped. Bakura shuddered as the shadow reached out and gently caressed his cheek.

"No, I'm not going to kill you yet. Your emotions are especially sweet. Your rage, anger and sadness. And power! Such lovely power contained in such a small mortal shell. I'll wait. Oh yes, I'll wait and then I'll kill the one you care for most. And then finally, finally, I'll swallow your soul and make you mine. How does that sound?"

-0-

The first thing that Yugi felt was something cold patting at his face. He twitched. Make that many cold things. He was pulled all the way to consciousness when a tremor went through his body. Or was it the ground? Yugi's eyes snapped open and he glanced around looking for Bakura. His head pounded with pain and he rubbed his temples in a vain attempt to soothe it as he struggled into a sitting position.

Yugi glanced up to see dozens of spirits whirling around him. He winced and a few came forward out of the crowd to touch his head. A cool feeling trickled down, numbing the worst of the pain. The ground rocked with another tremor. The spirits tugged at Yugi's clothes, urging him deeper into the village.

"Bakura," Yugi breathed and he ran.


	14. Chapter 13

Yugi's eyes were drawn to the sky as a great shadow rose up and took form. "He was too late?" And guilt immediately overtook his consciousness because if Bakura was too late, Yugi knew that he was the one to blame. The feeling of pins and needles over took him as his body's sensors for shadow magic became overwhelmed.

The familiar outline of the monster Diabound take to the sky after the forming shadow. Yugi's felt himself go cold with dread as he reached the centre. The spirits, seeing that he had found Bakura, immediately took to the sky and headed towards Diabound. As they reached it, the Ka began to grow, but it was too no avail. Zorc was just too quick, or Diabound's defence was just too weak.

Zorc let out a blast of shadow magic towards Diabound and Yugi was forced to watch as the monster took the hit and fell to the ground in one fell swoop and absorbed the shock of the blow. He heard a shout of pain, and dashed around the corner of the ruined building to see Bakura fall to his knees with his head bowed

Zorc took of into the desert and Yugi headed directly towards the thief. He fell to his knees before Bakura and placed his hands on the other's shoulders.

"Bakura?" Yugi asked gently.

He heard a sound from the thief. The shoulders underneath his hands began to shake.

"Bakura?"

The man raised his head and his eyes met Yugi's as he let out a chuckle, which turned into laughter, highpitched and full of the taint of madness. He let out hiccoughs as he cackled without stopping for breath.

"Bakura!" Yugi shouted and slapped him across the face.

The demented laughter ceased as the thief closed his mouth.

"Why do you care? This is your fault!" Bakura screamed at him. He shoved Yugi away and stood up. The archaeologist staggered to his feet as well and headed over to Bakura. "Why do you always have to get involved in things that are none of your business?"

"I'm sorry."

The thief pulled out a knife from somewhere on his person. "I'm going to kill you. I should have left you to die in the desert the day we met!"

Yugi flinched and then looked up into the thief's eyes. "Bakura... you're crying."

The thief reached up and touched his own cheek. He pulled his hand away from his face and stared at the dampness on his fingertips as if it were something completely alien to him. He looked back down at Yugi. The knife fell from limp fingers and hit the sand. Yugi slowly reached up and wiped the tears away before pulling him into his embrace. Bakura struggled for a moment, but they were half hearted struggles at best, considering that the thief was much stronger than Yugi. They just stood there, Bakura shaking in his arms with shock as the sun rose gently over the horizon.

"You will speak of this to no one," Bakura said eventually.

They were sitting side by side with their backs to the ruined building. Bakura turned away as soon as Yugi looked at him.

"I think it's time that we headed back to the castle," Yugi said quietly.

Bakura nodded in agreement. "That's where Zorc will strike next."

Shouts and the sound of hoof beats echoed in the distance. Bakura picked up the knife off of the ground and dragged Yugi into the shadow of some of the ruins.

"Where are the spirits?" Yugi asked.

"They're part of Diabound now," Bakura said hoarsely.

"I thought they would have separated again after Diabound disappeared."

"Quiet," the thief hissed.

The sound of hoof beats ceased and a voice floated over to them in the mid-morning sun. "My Pharaoh, I don't think they survived."

"That's Seto!" Yugi hissed and he began to struggle.

"Fine, you get out of hiding. Be killed for all I care," Bakura snapped back though his grip didn't loosen.

"They must have survived. It's destiny that they have. Zorc has not yet been defeated," Atem's voice came.

Yugi slipped out of Bakura's grip and stepped forward. "We're over here!" he shouted.

"Yugi! Are you hurt?" Atem dismounted from his horse and walked around the corner.

"No, but Bakura is," he replied.

Bakura reluctantly followed Yugi out into the daylight. His eyes narrowed as he set his eyes on Atem. "This is your fault, Pharaoh."

"How would that be?" Atem asked calmly.

Bakura let out a snarl in reply and took a step towards the Pharaoh. Seto stepped forward to defend him, but Atem put out an arm to stop him.

"Bakura, no!" Yugi shouted. Kuriboh rose up and dashed between the two. "Multiply!"

An entire army of the little fuzzballs appeared and blocked Bakura's path.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Really, Yugi? You have that little faith in me?"

"You know it's not his fault," Yugi said and the Kuriboh wall fell.

"Tch. Like I was going to do anything," the thief muttered.

"What happened?" Atem asked.

So Yugi told him how Bakura had knocked him out and he had awoken from unconsciousness just in time to see the rise of Zorc.

"I know that Akhnadin is dead. And that Bakura didn't kill him," Yugi said. "The rest, he won't tell me."

"That's fine," Atem replied. "I just wish you two hadn't ignored my orders. Zorc was going to rise. It was in the prophecy. There wasn't anything you could do to stop that."

"Not all of us put such faith in prophecy," Bakura sneered. "Besides, I was after Akhnadin, not Zorc. There was nothing in your crackpot prophecy about that."

Atem stiffened. "I see."

"But rejoice, oh great Pharaoh. I will be going after Zorc now. He is the one that denied me my revenge. He has to pay."

Atem sighed. "Let's just head back to the palace and plan our next move."

-0-

They met up in the Pharaoh's secret room. Yugi glanced around into Atem, Mana, Isis, Bakura and Seto's faces and noticed exactly how tired or tense they were. Absently he wondered if he looked like that himself.

"Yugi, how many of those Kuriboh can you summon?" Atem asked.

Yugi shrugged. "I don't know. I don't summon a bunch of them anyway. I just summon one and then use its special ability to multiply."

"Bakura, Atem and I will attack then, and Yugi will back the thief up. I don't know how much power the rest of us have. Without our Items, we can only access our own Ka," Seto said. "That's the best strategy we can hope for."

"You'll be eliminated in moments," Yugi protested. "Besides, Seto's monster isn't strong enough."

Seto muttered a name under his breath. "I have a new Ka monster. Kisara gifted it upon me."

"Kisara?" Atem asked. "Who was she?"

"No one important," Seto said, though his grimace told a different story.

"Do you have a better plan?" Bakura growled.

"Well, no," Yugi said.

"Then we'll go with what we have." Atem said simply. "Mana will provide back up to me, as she has Dark Magician girl as her Ka. And Isis will use Spyria to help attack as well. However, it's getting late and we all haven't slept for at least a day. Get some rest and we'll continue after breakfast tomorrow."

Yugi headed towards his room with a sigh of relief. He was exhausted both emotionally and physically.

He fell into bed and was asleep before he even had the chance to pull the covers over his body.

Down the hall Bakura fumed, unable to sleep. What did Zorc mean about the one he cares for most? Everyone that he had truly cared for had died in Kul Elena. He hated pretty much everyone else with the exception of Yugi. Who he did hate at the moment because he had seen him break down.

"Yugi," he muttered. "Yugi, Yugi,Yugi."

Well it couldn't be anyone else, could it? He still hated the Pharaoh and Seto though not as much as he hated Zorc. And he had left Yugi all alone by himself. Where Zorc could strike at any moment. He sighed in annoyance and hauled himself out of bed. Knowing that idiot, he would get himself into trouble.

He padded down the corridor until he reached Yugi's room. He opened the door and stepped inside only to see that the room was illuminated by the light of the full moon. Yugi lay sprawled on his back, snoring and still fully dressed, sandals and all.

"Idiot. Fine, sleep like that. See how comfortable you are in the morning," Bakura said quietly.

There was no answer from the sleeping figure.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered as he headed over to the bed.

Bakura pulled off Yugi's sandals, taking care not to wake him. He didn't even stir. The thief then pulled the blanket up to make sure that it covered Yugi's body. His hand brushed up against something cold and hard.

"What the-" Bakura pulled out a tablet that had writing inscribed on it, along with black scratches underneath each hieroglyph. He wondered what it said. The thief shook his head as if to rid himself of the thought and and slipped it back under Yugi's pillow.

"Why are you so special anyway?" Bakura said.

He sat down on the edge of the bed in a way that allowed him to see both the door and window. Bakura yawned. There was no way that Zorc was going to get him tonight.

Shouts and the pounding of feet shook Bakura out of a deep slumber. He sat up quickly and saw that he had fallen asleep across the foot of the bed. Yugi stirred at the noise and sat up sleepily.

"Bakura?"

"Shhh,"

Yugi quieted.

"I think that we'll -"

The door slammed open, surprising the two inhabitants.

"You must come quickly! He's been spotted," the guard shouted.

Yugi slipped on his sandals and together they took off down the hall to the throne room. The sun had not yet risen, but the throne room was a hive of activity with Atem directing it all.

Yugi raced up to Atem. "How long do we have?"

Atem paused to answer. "A little over twenty minutes"

Yugi gulped. "That's it?"

"It's better than waiting several hours," Bakura replied. "Let's go."

-0-

The force resisting Zorc was significantly less than that of a few days ago. With most of those who knew shadow magic dead, they were forced to rely on regular soldiers even though this battle was not anything one without the ability to summon their own Ka could face.

Yugi and Bakura headed to the front. There was no actual army on the other side. Just Zorc and that made it all the more chilling. It said something that he would come alone instead of bringing any support. Yugi knew first hand it wasn't arrogance, but sheer, raw power.

Bakura stood beside him, staring ahead towards the horizon to watch the sunrise, which was greatly diminished by the demon coming towards them. Behind him, darkness was eclipsing the sky once more. It was unfair, thought the distant part of Yugi that was not overcome with fear or anxiety, that their enemy would even deny them the ability to witness their last sunrise.

The wait passed in what seemed to be the blink of an eye.

Yet the fact that Zorc was attacking the palace first said something else. There was something that could defeat him here, or, if left long enough could defeat him. Yugi thought back to the library in the and how it was filled to the brim with spell books. Maybe there was something in there?

Yugi summoned his monster and felt the flicker of the magic that he had come to know so well inside of him. Kuriboh nuzzled him reassuringly and chirped. Overhead, Diabound took to the skies, his large size diminished by the sheer dimensions of Zorc. Looking at it, Yugi felt any sort of hope in defeating the demon dwindle even further.

He glanced to his side, to see Bakura's face twisted into a sadistic grin. Yugi looked back up at Zorc again, feeling a little reassured.

Zorc stopped a short distance away, with a fiendish grin on his face. He was even larger than Yugi remembered. He raised his hands to the centre of his chest. Licks of shadow magic, almost like small strands of lightning gathered in a ball between them. Yugi's eyes grew big at the sight. He tensed in preparation with Bakura to head forward as soon as the ball of energy was fired. Kuriboh nudged his ear reassuringly as the ball soared overhead and hit those behind them. But Bakura was already running forward so that he would be too close for Zorc to shoot at him without causing damage to himself. Yugi saw this and chased after him.

"Diabound!"

Overhead the large Ka floated, still completely dwarfed in size by Zorc. It heard it's master's call and began to head towards the demon. Yugi swallowed hard. Zorc seemed to realize what Bakura was doing and aimed his next attack at the two.

"Kuriboh," Yugi's voice shook slightly as he said the name.

The little ball of fluff chirped and began to duplicate rapidly. By the time that Zorc had gathered the power necessary to throw it, there was a wall of the little fuzzballs in the way. Yugi ducked as the attack struck the shield. Some of the duplicates of his Ka disappeared with the initial attack only to be replaced by more.

Enraged, Zorc began to batter against the shield. Yugi felt his soul tremble with each impact on his shield, but he knew that Zorc could not get through. Evidently the demon himself seemed to realize this as well and turned his attention back to Diabound as a mournful wail echoed over the field. Yugi looked up through his Ka shield to see the spirits of Kul Elna form a shield around the Diabound.

Shivers raced up and down his spine as the moans became louder. Yugi watched as Zorc's attention became completely occupied with the sight. Yugi frowned. It was almost as if he was worried about the creature. No, he was worried about Diabound. Cautiously, he let his shield down.

"What are you doing?" Bakura turned on him. "You can't let that down."

"I have to. Do you have any idea how much energy it takes to keep that up? I'd be exhausted within minutes and then we'd both fall."

Bakura glared. "Get the shield back up."

"No." Yugi replied.

The thief rounded on him. "I said get it up!"

"Why should I? He's not paying attention to us right now," Yugi argued back, even though he too was fearful that something would happen. "If I run out of energy, he will be able to destroy us. I think that he knows that too."

Zorc roared and physically knocked the Ka away from him. Bakura put a hand to his chest and staggered as his soul took the hit.

"Bakura? Are you alright?" Yugi put a hand on his shoulder.

Bakura shrugged it off viciously. "Just put the damn shield back up."

Yugi looked up and saw Zorc looking their way and did so. This time, the attacks went on for longer. The Kuriboh shield trembled with the force behind them and Yugi's head pounded along in tandem to it.

In the distance Diabound was rising once again. Immediately, Zorc turned his attention towards it. He completely ignored the monsters from the Pharaoh and his remaining priests.

"Bakura!" Yugi hissed.

"What?"

"I think he's scared of Diabound," Yugi replied. "Every time Diabound gets close, he only knocks him away and then resorts to attacking us. I'm not a real threat to him, so he must be after you!"

Bakura's lips twitched as Zorc's earlier words came back to his mind. "I don't think that's the case, Yugi."

"Why?"

Bakura just shook his head and returned to concentrating on the fight in front of him. He winced as Diabound was blasted into the ground again. Yugi prepared himself, as another barrage of blows struck his shield. The Kuriboh chirped in distress as they began to disappear. Yugi clutched at his heart.

"I'm starting to really feel that," he said weakly.

Bakura didn't reply, his eyes too focused on what has happening in the sky. Yugi was partially right, though he'd never admit it out loud. Diabound must at least be a nuisance towards Zorc. Otherwise, he would have just ignored its attacks and blasted at them until Yugi's Kuriboh shield collapsed. He sent Diabound to attack again, and again he failed. It was useless. All he was doing was weakening himself and Yugi.

Bakura watched Yugi out of the corner of his eyes as the shield began to be hit yet again. Why did Zorc hate him in particular? It wasn't like he was the only one that was trying to kill him. What would overwhelm the defences of such a creature?

Another blast hit the ground far behind them this time, leaving a smoking crater where moments before at least a dozen soldiers had once stood. Yugi let out a low groan and fell to his knees.

"Yugi?"

"I'm fine," he didn't try to get to his feet again but just stayed there as more attacks hit the shield. "Bakura, could you run? He's going to get through soon."

Bakura raised an eyebrow at this. "He's going to get me pretty quickly if I run," he said quietly.

The Kuriboh shield trembled as another impact hit it.

"I am glad to have met you, really."

"Yugi," Bakura said.

The shield began to shift, pinching in half like a cell ready to divide.

"Goodbye, Bakura,"

Yugi turned back towards the action, with only his original Kuriboh to protect himself and began to walk forward. If he had looked back at that moment, he would have seen Bakura frantically pounding on the Kuriboh barrier, trying to get back towards him.

He glanced over to his Ka, who was looking as battered and bruised as he felt.

"Well, this is it, isn't it Kuriboh?" Yugi said.

The thing chirped back at him weakly and nuzzled his shoulder as much as it leaned on it. He held his breath as Diabound was forced away once more and Zorc's attention was focused on him. The demon's face transformed into a look of pure triumph, or as much as it could look with a face like it did have. Once again a ball of power began to gather in the demon's hands Yugi closed his eyes, not being able to bear seeing his own death coming towards him. Kuriboh let out a growl beside him and he felt it move in front of him as a last desperate line of defence.

He didn't even feel the blast hit him.

Bakura watched as Yugi was blasted back and did not get up again. Even from where he stood he could see that Yugi's ribs were caved in and the blood that was beginning to darken the sand. Zorc had fulfilled his promise.

His chest felt hollow as if something significant had been scooped out and thrown away. Bakura dimly wondered what could fill that hollow, so similar to the one that had been left when his village was destroyed. Almost immediately, sweet, soothing rage began to sing in his veins, gathering in the part of his chest where something used to be.

"No," he said quietly.

Yugi's body did not respond, even as Zorc began to turn towards him.

"NO!" he roared. "Diabound!"

The monster's cry echoed his rage and dove towards the demon. Zorc caught him in midair and forced him down, dimly from where he was standing, he could hear the moans of his people's spirits, who were still protecting his Ka. Bakura felt himself fall as an unbearable pressure on his chest. Had Yugi felt like this too in his last moment?

Bakura growled again, incoherent with anger and hatred and sorrow and shock and suddenly he knew. He knew why Zorc had focused so much on breaking him. He was the only one that could defeat him. Or, rather the ghosts of those long dead were. They were the sacrifice that had enabled Zorc to come to this world. It only made sense that they could pull him back.

"Diabound." It came out as more of a wheeze.

However, the Ka heard and at once the moans grew louder, and anyone who cared to look towards the sky would have seen a shimmering ribbon of grey and white rise up to the sky. It wrapped itself around Zorc, bone white shackles appearing as the demon struggled against the power. Bakura transferred the last of his strength to the Ka and watched dazedly from where he was lying as a dark portal opened up and they sank into it.

Bakura smiled grimly as his eyes closed by themselves. Was this how it felt to die? It hurt. It hurt a lot. He lost consciousness.

-0-

"And with that, his soul has been purified," Yugi jumped from where he was floating above the scene and turned to see Ra staring back at him.

"How?" Yugi said. "He was so angry."

"He's always been an odd one, even by our standards," Ra replied. He clapped his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "There is no good or bad despite what my son might think. Most don't find true solace in vengeance. I know he is one of the rare few who has."

"I see," Yugi said even though he didn't really.

"You've done wonderfully, little one," Ra said. "Thank you for all that you have done for Egypt."

"I was glad to. In the end," Yugi said. "I just wonder that if I were needed in this time, why was I born so long after these events happened?"

Ra ignored his question. "You shall be rewarded for what you have done for the world. In light of your services, we are sending you back home to your time to live out the rest of your life."

"But I'm dead," Yugi protested.

"No one is really dead, just like no one is really alive. They just are."

Yugi glanced down at Bakura's unconscious form. There was a smile on his face. He had never seen him so at peace. He looked farther ahead and saw what remained of the army, Atem among them shouting orders as those remaining began to haul the wounded away.

He thought of his friends back home, whom he hadn't thought in months. "What about my friends here?"

"They will mourn your loss, but they will live happily – they did live happily until the end of their days," Ra said.

On the other hand, he had fallen in love with this world and with Bakura. His soul resided here as it had never done in modern times. Even with all that had gone on, he had never been happier than he had been here. He would miss him, but if the reason that he had come to this time was no longer relevant...

"I'm ready," Yugi whispered.

"Very well," Ra reached out and touched his forehead.

A sudden warmth spiralled from his forehead and through his soul. Yugi gave himself one last glimpse at Ra before his vision went dark.


	15. Epilogue

They hadn't even had a body to bury.

That's what got Bakura the most. How would Yugi continue on through Duat to the weighing of the heart if he had no body to return to, no throat of which to speak out of? Part of the thief wondered if Yugi had just returned to his own world and that the body that he had seen on the battlefield when he had fought Zorc was just some sick joke his mind had played on him. It was a pleasant distraction from the other part that was sure Yugi's soul would wander forever.

That was why he had to do this. He was almost there now to the spot where he and Yugi had first met and he felt deader inside than he had ever been. The ever present flames of rage and madness had vanished with Zorc's defeat.

Bakura shifted the tablet to the other arm. It was the same one that he had seen underneath Yugi's pillow the night before the final battle. He had been hesitant to do something so soft. It had taken him several days to even decide whether he should do this or not. After all, it wasn't as if this would allow Yugi to pass on either way. He didn't have a voice in which to speak his name.

He had found it in Yugi's room and taken it to a priest after his death, hoping that it would have been a spell of some sort and had found out that it was a spell to bring the caster to the past. Bakura had frowned at that. Maybe Yugi had known that he was going back to his time and had wanted a way back? The thief shook his head. He had to rid himself of these delusions. He had learned long ago that clinging to them was almost as dangerous as delivering himself up to the pharaoh's guards after stealing the treasures of the palace.

All told, it took Bakura two days to reach from the palace to the place where Yugi and he had met. He had been granted amnesty for his past misdeeds in return for services rendered which was fine by him. Of course, Bakura would eventually continue with his thieving if only for the rush it brought him.

The midday sun beat down on the back of Bakura's head, reminding him that there was no shade nearby except for the oasis many miles away. Bakura stopped suddenly, his neck prickling like he was being watched. He glanced around and of course saw nothing. Very few people every bothered coming out this far from civilization because there were no resources. And he knew that no one was following him because he would have picked up on it before he had reached the spot that he was looking for.

Bakura knelt in the sand and placed the last vestige of the one person he had cared about in the sand with a sigh. Life seemed so empty now. What was he supposed to do now? He had been driven by the need for revenge for so long that it felt like his work in this life was finished.

"Goodbye,Yugi," he murmured, smoothing the sand over the tablet.

Bakura took a deep breath and stood up. He began to walk with no intentions of turning back. It was time to move on. The wind began to pick up, sending grains of sand skittering across each other, but the thief paid no mind. However he did pay attention and let out a yelp of surprise as something wrapped around both of his wrists from behind and yanked. He fell backwards into a pool of blinding light and down, much farther down than it was to hit the ground.

Bakura halted for a moment and suddenly Ra was over him with hand on his forehead while he hovered in mid... realm he supposed. Or wherever he was.

"For services rendered, Bakura. Thank you," the voice echoed through his very existence but for a moment and then he was drifting.

-0-

A dim feeling of falling came with a settlement of something around him that was familiar, but strange. The cold dead weight made him gasp, only to find out that he couldn't. Desperately he tried to move his head, any part of his body, only to find out that he couldn't. Then all of a sudden he felt his heart began to beat and an overwhelming pain throughout his body as his lungs expanded.

Yugi began to breathe. He was dimly aware of his caved ribs snapping back into place sending sharp shots of agony down his body defining his entire existence. A low whine came from between clenched teeth as Yugi passed out.

"A miracle really..."

"The gods must have willed it..."

Pain, the dull ache of wounds beginning to fade and heal encompassed his body. He struggled to open his eyes, but the effort was too much for him.

"B'kura?" he rasped.

A light feminine chuckle of relief came from above his head. His eyes shot open and the blur in the room finally adjusted to the smiling faces of his three closest friends.

Not Bakura then.

"Anzu? Honda? Jounouchi?"

"We're all here," Anzu said. Her voice shook.

Jou favoured him with a smile. "How was the land of the dead, Yuge?"

"I died?" Yugi said blankly, before the memories came rushing back. "But I'm alive. I was given a second chance and - "

Yugi glanced past his friends and around the room. "Where's Bakura?"

"Bakura?" Anzu said. "Who's that?"

"Wait, how - " Yugi stopped himself. "No one. Just someone from a dream I had."

It turned out that Yugi had been in a coma for nearly a year. He had shown normal brain patterns throughout the whole thing. It included patterns of activity showing regular waking sleeping cycles. The doctors were mystified and wanted to study him further. His friends were just thankful.

Yugi was never able to bring himself to go back to Egypt. Where his friends and Bakura once lived, there was only Egypt's modern cities and ruins of what once was. He refused to put himself through that. And with every day that passed, it got a little easier. Well, easier to deal with. After all, Bakura had never been his in the first place.

Yugi sneezed as he continued to scrub down the counter of the old game shop. The place had fallen into disrepair since Yugi had not been home in nearly two years if he counted the time spent in his coma. A pang of guilt went through him at the thought. He brushed it off and continued scrubbing. After that he would have to open the first shipment of games that he had received. Yugi let out a groan at the thought of how much he had to do.

The soft chime of the shop door sounded through the empty room.

"I'm sorry! I actually don't open until tomorrow," he called out from behind the counter.

There was no sound of receding footsteps. Yugi got to his feet and caught sight of the silhouette in the doorway. No way. It was impossible. Yugi pinched himself. Hard. Yet that arrogant swagger and that proud profile was achingly familiar.

"B-Bakura?"

"Y-Yugi?" The thief sounded just as surprised.

"Yeah," Yugi's lips quirked into a smile.

"You're alive? Or am I dead?"

"You're not dead," Yugi said.

Yugi allowed himself to take a few hesitant steps towards the thief before breaking out into a full run. Bakura stepped forward as well and grabbed Yugi by the front of his shirt ignoring the other's yelp of surprise. "Do something so reckless again and this time I'll actually kill you. Do you understand?"

Yugi nodded and stumbled when Bakura suddenly let go of him.

"Where am I?"

"Japan," Yugi said. "My time."

"Your time? Hn. Well I need a new start."

Yugi nodded. "How?"

"Services rendered."

"What?"

"Tch. Nosey as always. I can't tell you more than that."

"Hey!" Yugi saw the thief's expression change. "What is it?"

Bakura turned away. "It's nothing."

"If you're sure," Yugi said.

Bakura sneaked a glance back at Yugi. "I am!"

An awkward silence fell between the two. Yugi found the corner of his shirt and began worrying at a spare thread.

A couple of minutes passed before Bakura spoke. "I'm not angry anymore."

Yugi turned to him with a smile. "I'm glad."

"Tch, you should be," the thief grunted.

Yugi grabbed a cloth and began to scrub down the front counter by the cash register. He knew it was bothering him the moment that Bakura's eye began to twitch. He pretended to be oblivious and just continued to clean. The thief never could handle being ignored. Yugi briefly debated about whether or not to stop when he saw the thief's hands clenching into fists out of the corner of his eye. He quickly decided otherwise, feeling that the other would just tell him what was the matter if he continued.

All at once Bakura stomped over to where Yugi was and slammed his hand down on the aged wood mere centimetres from where Yugi was scrubbing. "Would you stop that already?"

Yugi's eyes were big. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you so nosey anyway? Why must you make what is going on with me your personal business every single time?" Bakura snapped.

"I'm just worried," Yugi protested. "I want to make sure you're okay."

Bakura gritted his teeth. "You can be assured that I am fine."

"Something's bothering you."

"You are," Bakura said.

"Can you let me go then?" Yugi felt his body heating up at the close proximity of the thief.

"No."

"Please?"

"Not until I am done saying what I should have said before."

Bakura reached out and grabbed Yugi by the collar of his shirt to prevent him from sliding away from him.

The thief merely raised an eyebrow at Yugi's flushed face before continuing. "You have followed me everywhere since we first met. You've been nothing but an annoyance. Even when you're not there, you're still in my head. Why won't it stop?"

"Oh," Yugi said as he came to a realization.

"Oh. OH? That's all you can say to that?" Bakura paused for a second and his eyes widened. "Take it off."

"What?"

"I said take it off," Bakura put a hand on his throat. "Whatever sort of shadow spell you have on me."

"Bakura," Yugi said. "The shadow magic's been sealed. I'm not strong enough anymore to do that."

"..." Bakura was silent for a moment. "What are you doing to me then?"

"I'm not doing anything," Yugi said firmly.

Bakura's hand slackened his hold on Yugi's throat.

"What is wrong with me then?" he muttered.

Bakura glanced away and then back to him. Yugi continued to watch him.

"I-"

"Shut up," Bakura replied.

Yugi did so, hoping the thief would decide already. Or at least move. Yugi fought back the urge to squirm. He was a bit too close for comfort.

"Ba-"

Bakura's free hand began to move, roaming up Yugi's side and along his neck to rest at his jaw.

"Out of all the people I know, you annoy me the most," the thief declared suddenly.

Bakura leaned down and kissed him. Yugi kissed back eagerly before they both pulled away.

Bakura let go of Yugi and leaned back on the counter beside him. He allowed his eyes to drift up towards the ceiling. "I think..."

"Yes?" Yugi said.

Bakura glared at him for interrupting. "I lo-like you."

Yugi held in his giggles, knowing that they wouldn't be appreciated. It was tough, though the thief looked like it hurt to admit that much. "I love you too."

"I know," Bakura said.

"I'm ... you know, reopening my grandfather's game shop tomorrow," Yugi said quietly. "If... if you would like to stay."

"Tch, like I have any choice now." But the thief was smiling.


End file.
